http://news.sfimg.com/index.php Copyright 2014, SFI SFI en-US SPHPBLOG 0.5.1 http://news.sfimg.com/index.php?entry=entry140225-162143 General, Affiliate Center http://news.sfimg.com/index.php?entry=entry140225-162143 SFI Tue, 25 Feb 2014 22:21:43 GMT http://news.sfimg.com/index.php?entry=entry140224-123614
We will continue to award daily VP and restore VP streaks for those who are not yet able to log in. Please do not submit tickets at this time about daily VP or your streak.

Speaking of tickets, we currently have a backlog of thousands of tickets that our Support staff is working through as quickly as possible. Until we can catch up, we ask that you please not submit any tickets right now unless they are truly necessary. Some affiliates are submitting hundreds of duplicate tickets and this only slows everyone down and creates even more frustration. We greatly appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to get everyone taken care of as fast as we can.

The biggest problem still remaining is that certain ISPs are refusing to deliver our emails, specifically the crucial password reset emails which you MUST receive in order to reauthorize your SFI account and get into the SFI Affiliate Center. If your ISP is Hotmail, AOL, Live, or Outlook (and possibly others too), you are probably not being provided the email (or the email is being delayed).

We've extended the expiration on the link to 24 hours to allow for SLOW delivery, but if you feel your ISP is not going to deliver the email at all, you need to get yourself a new email address installed in your SFI account right away. Here?s how:

1. Get yourself a new email address, such as from gmail or Yahoo.

2. Submit it to Support via a ticket. For those who can?t get into Support, submit your new email address via email to us at: support@csi.freshdesk.com

3. We will update your SFI account with your new email address and confirm this with you via an email. Note: This confirmation email will necessarily go to your old email address.

4. Once you?ve received this confirmation, go to www.sfimg.com/get and submit your new email address. We will instantly send the password reset email to your new address.

5. Locate the email at your new ISP and follow the simple directions it contains to reset your password and have your account reauthorized.


LATEST TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS:

1. If you?ve gotten logged in since the attack, and you?re being requested to go through the reauthorization process again, this probably means that:

A. You have your computer set to not save cookies. You must have your system set to retain cookies from sfimg.com and www.sfimg.com or you will have to reauthorize/create a new password every time you try to log in. This is because it?s the cookie we set when you log in that tells us who you are. If you delete the cookie, you delete the authorization and then we can?t identify your computer as having logged in previously.

or

B. Your browser or password management software has not been updated with your NEW password. It?s automatically entering (auto-filling) your old password. You must update it to your new password.

To clarify, you should only have to reauthorize your account ONCE. If you are having to do it more than once, you?ve got something set incorrectly on your side.

2. If you've requested the password reset email MORE THAN ONCE, you MUST use the latest one. All older ones will have been voided by the newer request. If you feel that you are stuck in a loop that you can?t get out of, THIS is the reason. You MUST wait to receive the password reset email and ONLY click on the link of the latest one!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: Why is my ISP delivering some SFI emails, but not the password reset email, which is the email I really need?
A: We don?t know. Your ISP should be delivering ALL of your emails and not selectively decided some not to deliver as they are doing here. We can only speculate that they have filters in their software that are being set off because the email contains a coded link and refers to account information. They perhaps think they are protecting you from a phishing attack but, if so, their filters are clearly faulty and you may want to let them know your displeasure about this.

Q: I enter my login information, click submit, and it takes me back to the password reset screen and says, ?You are not logged in.? Why?
A: This indicates you are not entering your correct log-in information. Tip: Enter your password manually (don?t let your browser auto-fill the info), and remember that passwords are case sensitive and must be entered EXACTLY. You may feel you?re entering it correctly, but we?ve already had numerous instances where after trying every other possibility to get the affiliate logged back in, it turned out that the affiliate was simply not entering their right password (and/or SFI ID number).

Q: Why do I have to keep reauthorizing my computer?
A: You don?t. You only need to do it ONCE. See above tips.

Q: Why does everyone have to create a new password?
A: Because of the cyber-attack, everyone?s old password has been compromised. You need to create a new password to keep the crooks behind the attack from accessing your SFI account!

]]> http://news.sfimg.com/index.php?entry=entry140224-123614 SFI Mon, 24 Feb 2014 18:36:14 GMT http://news.sfimg.com/index.php?entry=entry140221-130024 Due to Thursday's cyber-attack, we will be automatically awarding the 10 daily VersaPoints needed to keep your VP streak intact to all who are unable to log in (for as long as necessary). Any VP Streaks will remain intact. Please do not submit any tickets regarding this matter. Watch for further updates.
]]> General http://news.sfimg.com/index.php?entry=entry140221-130024 SFI Fri, 21 Feb 2014 19:00:24 GMT http://news.sfimg.com/index.php?entry=entry140221-085953
We are also under a DOS (Denial Of Service) attack, which may result in intermittent slowness.

EMAIL DELIVERY ISSUES
1. Those using Hotmail, AOL, and possibly gmail for some parts of the world, are definitely experiencing poor service from their provider. They apparently don't like the NECESSARY link included and are apparently choosing not to deliver your email because of it. You should let them know you expect them to deliver ALL of your email and not just the ones they think you should receive.

2. We've extended the expiration on the link to several hours to allow for SLOW delivery of your email from your ISP.

3. If you've requested the password reset email MORE THAN ONCE, you MUST use the latest one. All older ones will have been voided by the newer request. You MUST use the latest one.

4. We are receiving reports that Outlook and Live are also not deliviering our password reset emails in a timely manner.]]> General http://news.sfimg.com/index.php?entry=entry140221-085953 SFI Fri, 21 Feb 2014 14:59:53 GMT http://news.sfimg.com/index.php?entry=entry140220-213547

To: All SFI Affiliates
From: Gery Carson, SFI President

As most of you know, SFI has been growing exponentially over the last couple years. Growth and success is great, but in today?s world, it now attracts cyber-crooks with very sophisticated methods. Today I must report that SFI has been the victim of such a cyber-attack.

As our partners, we wanted to get you fully up to date as soon as possible. Here are the facts as we know them. Please note that this is an ongoing investigation and we do not have the answer to every question.

Apparently, the hackers gained entrance to our databases earlier this month. When this was discovered late last week, from all we could tell, they were only probing. In response, we added the two new security layer--which were announced during the last few days. Today, however, we have discovered that it is more serious, that the criminals likely gained access to some credit card numbers, passwords, and more.

The two new security features may very well have closed whatever hole was used to gain access, but we are now working on adding additional layers of security and protection. We also are consulting experts in the field to make sure that SFI and TripleClicks are as secure as is humanly possible.

Unfortunately, even if the criminals have now been locked out, the information they gained access to earlier is in their hands. Therefore, it is very important that you take precautions to protect yourself from this information theft.

When major US retailer Target was hacked in December and had the credit card numbers of reportedly over 40 million customers stolen, customers were advised to:

1. Watch your credit card statement for charges you did not initiate.

2. Call your credit card company or bank about replacing the card (the phone number to call should be located on the back of your card).

3. Consider getting identity protection service. Most major credit cards have a form of this already which is usually provided free of charge, but you may want to consider the services of companies such as www.lifelock.com or www.Mosaic-idservices.com--that may be able to provide more extensive security. Note that we actually have been working with Mosaic to provide their services to all SFI affiliates.

For a more information on what to do when your credit card number gets stolen, see:

http://money.cnn.com/2013/12/19/technol ... edit-card/

I want to point out that any credit card we had on file that has not been used for a TripleClicks purchase in the last 120 days should not be at risk because 120 days is the longest they are retained by us (they are erased).

Also, we do not store the 3- or 4-digit security numbers located on the back side of the credit cards, so those numbers were not stolen. Most sites require this security number when using a credit card.

We are incredibly disappointed that this has happened and we are doing everything we can to make certain it never happens again. And of course we will be diligently working with all of our affected affiliates and customers to mitigate any impact.

We are also completely committed to working with authorities--including the FBI that I spoke with just minutes ago--to bring anyone involved to justice.

To help ensure that the site is completely secured, we are requiring that you set up a new password. Please take this opportunity to create a good strong one! This is one of best ways to protect your SFI account and all of your online accounts.

You may also experience some error messages and other issues for a few days. We understand this is a major disruption and inconvenience for our affiliates, but it is necessary while we go through every inch of the site to shore up any remaining potential weak points.

As we go through this process, we will continue to post updates so that you know exactly what the current status is and any steps that you should be taking.

Important: We ask that you not submit any tickets about this matter at this time as it will only slow us down and delay getting everything back in order. Instead, watch for our emails and posts on Facebook, Twitter, news.sfimg.com, and the SFI Forum.

Once again, it?s so very disappointing to have had this happen, but we will come out of this a stronger company for it. All of us, together, we have built something very special with SFI and we will all get though this together. Thank you for your understanding and support.

I will be in touch with further updates soon.

Gery Carson
SFI President

]]> General http://news.sfimg.com/index.php?entry=entry140220-213547 SFI Fri, 21 Feb 2014 03:35:47 GMT