## Every time you sign on 

<P>There are small pauses with a note saying "your browser is being checked."</P>

![sub-buzz-28675-1487960375-7.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmTpgqTMCRYfi5k3wfu96s6FpqvUhX6W27cL8TTj9UsEHP/sub-buzz-28675-1487960375-7.jpg)

*<a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/nicolenguyen/cloudflare-hack-2017-change-your-passwords?utm_term=.xeb25OrD8#.urJgK7ky0">source</a>*

Then you enter your password. All good.  But what's going on behind the scenes?

The reason for this annoyance dates back to the days when bitcoin was in its early days.  Sites like MtGox were getting DDoS attacks (Distributed Denial of Service) or in other words, *bots hitting the site over and over until nobody else can get on it.*  So there is a very good reason that Cloudflare came into existence.   They were very vocal about it too.   

>Cloudflare is checking your browser...

Then a few months ago in February 2017, news came out that millions of passwords were taken form Cloudflare.  


![Screenshot of cloudflare passwords hack - Startpage Web Search.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmZH4BawQQbdthAWtBP2Ur4tWCCQQudLsZtUkA2J2DiRKR/Screenshot%20of%20cloudflare%20passwords%20hack%20-%20Startpage%20Web%20Search.jpg)

*A quick search shows that my memory serves*

When I first heard the news, I wanted to see if Poloniex was using the hacked service to "care for" my passwords.    I went to Poloniex and logged in.     Well, it did not say the name Cloudflare, so I think I am safe. 

> Cloudflare said it had fixed a critical bug, discovered over the weekend, that had been leaking sensitive information such as website passwords in plain text from September 2016 to February 2017. Over 5.5 million websites use Cloudflare, including Fitbit, Uber, OkCupid, Medium, and Yelp.

*quote and photo from the same article <a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/nicolenguyen/cloudflare-hack-2017-change-your-passwords?utm_term=.xeb25OrD8#.urJgK7ky0">here</a>*

## Trust broken

The company said they had fixed a bug.  Still, I would prefer not to have that company preloading something  in my browser, then collecting my password.   What Cloudflair's code should have been doing is checking browser history to see if the page has been loaded 25 times in the last minute to stop DDoS attacks,  NOT staying around to see what password I enter.

## Getting back to Poloniex

If the Poloniex site says "Your browser is being checked" and it  *does not* say by whom,  it leads the user to think that Poloniex is doing the checking of my browser.  That is fine by me, because Poloniex already has my password.

I am not a lawyer, but I think they have to let you know implicitly when and to whom you are being redirected, if passwords are being sent, stored, or collected, if not on site.   

Imagine my surprise when...

## Today I learned

TIL that if you are banned by an automated "owner" at Poloniex,  **the automated message still says Cloudflare**.  If I had known that, I would have stopped using that exchange long ago.   Pretty sneaky of Poloniex to continue using a service **known for taking and storing your passwords** and  pulling the name "Cloudflare" from the site.  People with common sense would likely stop trading there if they saw the name and had read the news.

![Screenshot of Access denied - poloniex.com used Cloudflare to restrict access (1).jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmbGBpV4UV2csTjMVKgu6zuCAkUsNQCQCdBnNmM2mrq9Fr/Screenshot%20of%20Access%20denied%20-%20poloniex.com%20used%20Cloudflare%20to%20restrict%20access%20(1).jpg)

I am not sure if I had any *real* money on Poloniex.   I have been okay with their recent overload, slowness, etc..  But the constant  trapping of my funds and now learning that there is a *legal* "man in the middle" leads me to call it quits with Poloniex.

## As many of you know

I started cashing out 4 weeks ago.  I started a Poloniex account as one of  many routes to sell $20,000 dollars worth of Steem per week.   I sent money to several places in order to change it for other cryptos, but Poloniex put a three day hold on my withdrawals a couple of weeks ago.   A bit perturbed, I tweeted that fact and they were quick to restore withdrawals.  

Now, a few weeks later, and I am locked out?  I only go there once per week (hardly a DDoS attampt)

Plus, I learn that they are still using an anti-DDoS scheme that should have been dumped when they broke trust three months ago.  

As many of you also know...  I am a nice person who likes to help.  But, as certain *wealthy investors, self appointed content judges, and dedicated assholes* will attest, I don't shy away from "big fish" here on Steemit and I flag back.  I am the same in the real world.   I am known for running full page ads, and buying up regions of foogle ads when I find that a company is a scam.  

 - - - 

**Final note:**

Apologies for the effortless short posts recently.  Great posts were flagged in the past.  Logic says silly ones won't be? Just testing what causes those flags - but thank you all so much for for voting and for your kind words!  If enough of you do, this htooms guy won't be another ghost-town account tossed out  by the self appointed owner of Steemit.

I wish I could respond to each and every comment - I loved that part of this platform!  My comments have been used as a tool to thumbs down anything posted by me.  When the idiots stop kicking me down, I will gladly engage with you all again!  And yes, I am still hitting back.  Yes, only hitting those who have 200,000.ooo SP, and who cluster-flag the little guys without good reason.

I am still looking for a way to upvote your comments too - last time I gave you each $1.00 and those were downvoted to nothing. :(  

Working on it...
 - - -






**Thanks for taking time to  read and resteem!**


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Image Sources:  My own photos/captures. 

***Long time 🐟 turned 🐋 to get flagged by berndawg.*** 

***📞 You're invited to <a href="https://discord.gg/4NPeVVz">steemspeak</a> 📞***