Simple Auctions Hacked Again

Kenny Cole · #1 01-20-2021, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

I can assure you that the expense for switching (having done it from a company other than Simple to another site) is not prohibitive, and, as long as Simple makes the user's data available, no information needs to be lost in a migration.

And therein lies the issue. You have no more idea than I do what it costs to switch over from Simple Auctions or what that might entail. Having heard from several of those who are in that situation, based on what I understand, I tend to disagree with you. Why don't you talk to Lee or Al and report back? I suspect you may change your tune if you do that.

chriskim · #2 01-21-2021, 06:19 AM

If SA really got hacked again then I think SA paid the ransom (again) and their server is up now (at least Goldin is live again)

MCyganik · #3 01-21-2021, 10:03 AM

Again I'm just a layman here with no real skin or knowledge in this game so I'm probably full of hot air, but here's my most recent thoughts.

I imagine most of SAS's clients are small-time auction houses in the grand scheme of things. Generally, profits and overhead costs are within the means of the auction's proprietor, who may run their auction as a side business/hobby or to eke out a living by themselves or with a close knit team. Not to make an absolute killing with a large salaried staff.

There's a trust that they've built with Bob & SAS, at the end of the day a fellow collector like most of them. It also enables a network of peers they can bounce ideas off of within SAS's framework, both as collectors and auction runners.

SAS is literally called Simple Auction Sites because in a lot of ways it is cut and paste web design, like a Tumblr blog for auction houses. SAS's system allows easy to set up access for small auction houses that don't have a lot of technical knowledge or startup capital to manage a whole individual auction platform.

I imagine despite these technical/ransomware issues, leaving the safety of the 'nest' Bob has built would be overwhelming and perhaps harmful for many small businesses under SAS's portfolio.

That being said, it certainly seems SAS's ability and reach has a limit, as we see in these ongoing technical/ransomware issues that are now affecting millions of dollars worth of business. Maybe there was some naivety about its security, maybe the hackers were just that good at breaking into the code. But it seems SAS was a sitting duck for a long time coming for someone to pull a stunt like this.

It also reflects the size of the clientele. What is a company like Goldin (a few other big ones), holding monthly+ auctions and pushing millions of dollars of artifacts each month, doing still using a platform that peers 20x less the size of them use that we now learn might be easily penetrable? Loyalty to Bob? Maximizing profits?

Once an online auction house gets big enough to hire a dozen staff members, shouldn't they begin to invest in proper in-house IT and web development? They are going to be the ones that attract an audience. If I'm a profiteering hacker and I see a company running monthly 6 figure auctions for 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle cards and high-end Michael Jordan memorabilia, I'd probably try to get a piece of that action too.

Aquarian Sports Cards · #4 01-21-2021, 09:33 AM

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Kenny Cole · #5 01-21-2021, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

The expense shouldn't be on Simple's end other than whatever they are going to charge to export your images, which can be somewhat of a chore, and data to spreadsheets, which shouldn't be very hard to do at all, and which they would have to be pretty bold, given the circumstances, to overcharge for that.

I do have knowledge of changing a platform and the costs of setting up on a new platform. So is my knowledge perfect to the situation? No. But it's a lot more in depth than random conjecture.

RMY switched from Simple four years ago, so a member HAS done it and he kept all his historic data and images, lists etc. Thinking Rhys is probably pretty happy he did right about now.

It isn't random conjecture. Have you talked to Al or Lee? I suspect not. I will simply say that their views about the matter seem to be completely different than yours. I don't imagine that either of them is very happy about the situation they are in, nor would I be, but switching doesn't appear to be quite as easy as you seem to think it is, at least from their perspective.

Aquarian Sports Cards · #6 01-21-2021, 10:19 AM

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Kenny Cole · #7 01-21-2021, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

Speaking of conjecture...

I will simply ask once again if you have talked to Lee, Al, or anyone else on that site to get their perspective. The fact that you can't or won't answer is the answer.

Aquarian Sports Cards · #8 01-21-2021, 11:17 AM

So I owe an apology to Kenny, Lee and Al. Apparently I am losing my mind. I know, and do chat with Lee and Al periodically and could've sworn when the first hack went down I chatted with both. Apparently I remember incorrectly. I want to be clear that they are great guys and my whole point behind my posts was that good companies and people don't deserve to have something like this happen to them.

I HAVE spoken with both of them now, but in the interest of fairness, and again with an apology to Kenny as well, I removed my posts even though they live on in Kenny's quotes.

BRoberts · #9 01-21-2021, 11:55 AM

Why in the world does someone have to talk to Al or Lee to determine whether switching auction providers is cost prohibitive? What might be cost prohibitive to Al might not be to Scott. Or Ken Goldin. or Kenny Cole.

Scott says he has done it, and it wasn't cost prohibitive. Just because Al and Lee say it is, that invalidates Scott's opinion? Having trouble following your logic, Kenny.

Kenny Cole · #10 01-21-2021, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

Really whom I speak with isn't your business, but for some reason you have to know. Yes I reached out to both of them immediately after the first hack and traded messages with each of them. Happy?

You are right in the sense that I couldn't care less who you talk to. It does irritate me that you simply pull stuff out of your ass when you don't know come here from sic 'em about the subject upon which you are opining. And that is rather clearly the case here. In any event, I guess we will just have to agree to disagree. It doesn't make much sense to continue on, because you will remain convinced that you are right and I will remain convinced that you are not. Such is life. Carry on ...

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