Notice about private user information

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3572 Location: Utah

I was contacted by a user who tried Pointblank, and was extremely concerned that his firearm data was being uploaded or made public in some way. I would like to respond by stating that PointBlank does not send any database information anywhere, ever. All data input by a user remains on that users PC, in a single file: Database.xml

The only internet communication PointBlank does is to check its version against the "newest" version to see if it is up to date (this can be disabled in the settings), or to download donation information (this has to be run manually by the user).

I do not want, nor care about specific user firearm or load information. It is not gathered or tracked in anyway outside of the users PC. I am a firm believer in keeping private data private!

**Enough users have had data loss issues I am working on a feature to allow users to choose to "backup" their data to the website in case of a local data loss, but that data would be encrypted and stored in a private area inaccessible by anyone other than the user. This feature is NOT available yet, no data is being uploaded. If the feature is completed, it would be something each individual user would choose to manually opt into.

I hope this helps explain the current status of things, if anyone has concerns or questions, don't hesitate to reply here or email me directly.

Thank you!

-DallanC

Searchin4Truth · Rookie Member Joined: Apr 12, 2013 Posts: 6

DallanC,

I have recently had my pointblank.ex_ file get eaten off the screen, right in front of my eyes!

Every time I replace the file, it is AUTOMATICALLY deleted in less than 5 seconds.

I started a new installation in a new directory and it worked for ONE TIME and then deleted "pointblank.e_e" (executable file) when I tried to open it again! Spooky!

I made a donation in case that might be a "hint" to help pay for the great program and support, but I think it is something else and I sure as heck hope you have deal with it before and it is simple to fix without losing my data.

Suggestions? (I hope, because I love the software and it WOULD be a great loss if I couldn't get it to work again.

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3572 Location: Utah

There are many thousands of users using this including myself on a multitude of different devices, and this is the first report of this. The only thing I can think of that would cause this is a virus or malware scanner that detects the .exe file as something it needs to deal with and deletes / moves it.

I personally post the EXE files for download, and they are built on a clean machine, so unless my webhost got infected recently, and in turn infected my hosted files, I believe my files are virus free.

On your particular machine, you might have something that is infecting it, that scanners arent catching, that is trying to replicate itself by infecting different exe files. I had a rare, yet unrelated case like that earlier this year.

Is PBPatcher being run when you see the exe disappear? The patcher will delete an out of date version, then promptly replace it with the new version.

Do you have a second computer you can test on? I'm happy to help as much as I can, I just dont have a way to remotely detect what other processes are messing with the exe file.

-DallanC

Searchin4Truth · Rookie Member Joined: Apr 12, 2013 Posts: 6

DallanC wrote:

There are many thousands of users using this including myself on a multitude of different devices, and this is the first report of this. The only thing I can think of that would cause this is a virus or malware scanner that detects the .exe file as something it needs to deal with and deletes / moves it.

I personally post the EXE files for download, and they are built on a clean machine, so unless my webhost got infected recently, and in turn infected my hosted files, I believe my files are virus free.

On your particular machine, you might have something that is infecting it, that scanners arent catching, that is trying to replicate itself by infecting different exe files. I had a rare, yet unrelated case like that earlier this year.

Is PBPatcher being run when you see the exe disappear? The patcher will delete an out of date version, then promptly replace it with the new version.

Do you have a second computer you can test on? I'm happy to help as much as I can, I just dont have a way to remotely detect what other processes are messing with the exe file.

-DallanC

PBPatcher is not running when the file gets deleted.

I have done a deep scan with newest Norton software and the machine is "supposedly" clean.

I am with you. I think it is some virus or malware.

Will try on another machine, as you suggest.

I seriously doubt it is the PointBlank software.

Thanks for getting back to me so quick ;-)

I will get into this later today, Dallan.

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3572 Location: Utah

Kindof looks like Norton might be doing it. Look at all these threads:

www.google.com/search?...g+my+files

-DallanC

Searchin4Truth · Rookie Member Joined: Apr 12, 2013 Posts: 6

DallanC

Check this out!

www.fixerrorhelps.com/...error.html

There may be a Windows file of the same name? Is that what this link is saying?

I just got back to the machine and am searching for an answer to the file being deleted like this.

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3572 Location: Utah

That site is ... ummm strange. How could they have a "fix pointblank" tool if they dont even know what it is? No-one has contacted me with either a problem or a method to fix... UNLESS, they are the ones to infected it and then supply the "fix".

There was a video game a while back called PointBlank (unrelated in every possible way to my software). I wonder if maybe that is what this guide refers to.

Darn strange no mater how you look at this.

-DallanC

Searchin4Truth · Rookie Member Joined: Apr 12, 2013 Posts: 6

I knew it wasn't your EXCELLENT program :-) :-) Seriously 5 stars to me :-)

I have been on the net since 1992 when it was not graphical (can't even remember the language, UNIX? And builllding and optimizing these pos's since then. (Actually. they are awesome for what they do and we know it).

I kind of got the impression it was some familiar file that was the same name causing problems with your (our ;-) Ballistics program.

BUT, that doesn't make sense, or everyone running your program would be bitchin', right?

SOoo. I am going to talk or chat with Norton ASAP and get back to you so we can put that issue to sleep.
Meanwhile, thanks for your excellent support!