NEWSEA, a rival site to TSR has been hacked and the data of 3,322 of its users has been posted online.
CHANGE ALL OF YOUR PASSWORDS NOW.
Unlike the last information leak, where 614 people had their names email address shared on the grapevine, this new leak is far more dangerous, the online list not only contains usernames and emails, but your PASSWORDS and your country of origin and and some full names.
I understand there are rumors already in the community, and in some cases these rumors are not being believed, I can confirm that I have seen the full list online and I can not stress how urgent it is that you take action to change your passwords. The information is listed in this format: id - username - email – password - firstname - lastname - country
On May the 10th, a few members of staff were approached, and on May 11th were given subscriber passes to Newsea. The idea was to download and share Newsea subscriber only files through torrent sites in an attempt to damage the Newsea business and limit their monetary income. I was under the impression that TSR had bought the subscriptions. Shortly after, I heard that Newsea was willing to sell the site to TSR and return as FA. Talks broke down apparently when Tom accused Newsea of being greedy and wanting far too much for the site, I have no idea what Newsea asked for or what he was offered, but whatever it was, Tom said it was too much but he was certain Newsea would be back with ‘his tail between his legs’. Yesterday I was told that every member of Newsea has had their username, email name and password leaked online. Shortly before this news went public, TSR posted a cryptic and confusing message on their front page.
“TSR members are being targeted in the community by people trying to cause trouble. Please remember that nobody from TSR will ever ask for your password for the site. If anyone approaches you on Facebook, Forums or Chat, claiming to be from TSR and asking you for your login details, do not give them out!”
You may wonder what is so cryptic and confusing about this message? For a start the first paragraph is the focus of events that have never happened, there have been no reports of anyone being approached on facebook, forums or chat by anyone asking for login details. This part of the statement is clearly just an opener and just an excuse to make an announcement so that they can get to the second paragraph..
Passwords stored at TSR are encrypted. ( No they are not. ) Staff, Admins and Mods do not have access to your passwords used, ( some staff and all admins do. )
“but not all sites work that way.” Now we are getting to the point of this announcement .. Sites like Newsea? How perceptive of TSR to know that a rival site was about to have it’s entire unencrypted data leaked online. How thoughtful of TSR to let us know how *cough* secure their site is and how unsecure rival sites may be. We could have done without the demonstration.
This has not just been a hack, it has started with blackmail. With this being posted on or around April 27th
Followed by attempts from TSR to damage the business through sharing.
When Newsea refused to sell and rejoin TSR for what was probably a very low offer, the information gathered from the site was released to the public. ( ..after the careful removal of TSR FA accounts! ) You do not need me to explain what this means to the 3,322 people who have had their emails and passwords displayed for all to see, or the damage to the reputation of Newseas site.
Still not convinced that TSR are liars? TSR have even gone as far as writing words in Newsea’s TSR blog, that were not written by Newsea and replying to messages that were not replied to by Newsea -In fact Newsea have NO access to their own TSR blog. What kind of respectable site would impersonate an artist through blog posts and messages while locking them out of their own account. That in itself is illegal.
Newsea says: “Please do not give the newsea of TSR site message! because the account has been modified by the TSR, we do not have the permissions of that account, all speak of the newsea of TSR site not what we say!”
Hacking. Blackmail. Impersonation. This is how low TSR will go to destroy the competition. For those who have very little sympathy for a paysite like Newsea, remember that paysites are not the only rival to TSR.
66 Comments »
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I’m really sorry if you aren’t supposed to say it, but would you specify which site has leaked all the information? I don’t want to end up changing ALL of my passwords and such just because some site I haven’t registered leaked over 3000 emails and passes
Reply: I understand your problem, I can tell you that the email you left on this comment is not on the list, but your username is with a different email. I see your password and your full name. Change it now. – Coconut
Comment by TheD3N — May 31, 2012 @ 00:02
Since you’ve said you’ve seen my email and password, would you mind emailing on the email I currently use and specify which emails is actually on the list? (I am serious, I use at least 3 emails and I want to know which one is leaked)
Comment by TheD3N — May 31, 2012 @ 00:20
Thanks for posting this. I was on the previous list and I ended up changing all my passwords after that as a precautionary measure, and I haven’t been anywhere near TSR since. That said, I’d still like to know if I’m on this one as well. If so, could you tell me something about the password that has been leaked? Is it a random, jumbled password that would be used for something important, or some throwaway easy-to-remember password like somebody’s name?
Reply: I do not see your username or email anywhere on it. – Coconut
Comment by dinuriel — May 31, 2012 @ 00:42
Unfortunately without more information people won’t know what passwords to change. For someone like me, it could mean that all of my “hobby” site interactions are at risk since I’m careful to use a different password on financial sites. I play a lot more games than the Sims, and even I’d be hard-pressed to remember all sites I’ve ever registered to related to various hobbies in about 15 years on the internet. Guess I’ll wait for updates.
Comment by unknown — May 31, 2012 @ 01:56
http://newseasims.com/news_detail.php?id=1
Comment by mbnz — May 31, 2012 @ 01:57
Am I on the list, coconut? Also, can the list be posted somewhere so people can see it?
Reply: No Faye, I can not see your name or email on there – Coconut
Comment by Faye — May 31, 2012 @ 06:18
Hey Coconut, I would love to know if I am on the list Also, if you can PM the password used (If I am on said list ) so I know if I need to change it…
Reply: See Pm – Coconut
Comment by Levini — May 31, 2012 @ 07:25
May I ask if I am on that list and if so could you email be which password was shown? This will help be change the ones that are needed.
Reply: I can not see your name or Email, you might as well know, the Site was Newsea. – Coconut
Comment by Ohbehave007 — May 31, 2012 @ 09:16
So this means the site that got hacked also didn’t save passwords in encrypted format? Which would rule out the vBulletin-based sites? I’m hoping. Unless TSR have found a way to decrypt passwords? I already had my S2C account hacked; am I on this list, too? (I don’t think I’ve registered on too many Sim sites, but still…)
Reply: No, I do not think the DB was encrypted, it is possible it was, but looking at the way it was laid out, I doubt it. The site was Newsea. – Coconut
Comment by Silver Arrows — May 31, 2012 @ 09:19
Hi me and some of the leaked users info have been trying to figure out some of the sites that they got the info from and we’ve pinpointed one definitely being a mediafire connected email address and one that has TSR and sims cave links. They’re both old email addresses and passwords.
Comment by Lost — May 31, 2012 @ 09:27
If the site is what i think it is, then i’m safe, but just want to double check. I hope that everyone on that list takes caution.
Reply: It was newsea – Coconut
Comment by Ann Onymous — May 31, 2012 @ 13:47
That is what I thought. *whew* Still saddening to hear. Hopefully, the person who did this (and we all know who that is) will get what’s coming to them.
Comment by Ann Onymous — May 31, 2012 @ 20:19
Thanks for the update, Coconut. I don’t get how TSR can commit all these crimes, yet it seems they are immune to any law! Is there no way they can be prosecuted? Disgusting.
Reply: They are far from immune, there are over 3,000 potential police complaints for this crime alone. I do not doubt they used a proxy when publishing this list, however other hacker groups recently prominent in the news would also have used proxies when publishing information. Some of their members are now in jail. – Coconut
Comment by Silver Arrows — May 31, 2012 @ 23:35
Can you tell me if i am on that list?
Reply: Not under the username or email you have supplied here. General rule of thumb is if you have registered at Newsea, you ARE on the list. – Coconut
Comment by venusprincess100 — June 1, 2012 @ 04:11
I’ll remember this incident each time a Sims website insists on people registering in order to access any downloads on their site; this is insane.
Comment by Anonymous — June 1, 2012 @ 06:52
Is there any way to post the link to the list? I have a collection of names that I use and I cannot, for the life of me, remember which one I used for Newsea. I can’t believe TSR are such losers that they keep destroying other sites.
Reply: No, absolutely not – Coconut
Comment by LizzieB — June 1, 2012 @ 07:29
It’s me again. I found the list. You should spread this everywhere as possible (to modthesims, livingsims forum etc). I really didn’t think it was as extensive as you said but then I saw it and it makes me feel really nauseous.
Comment by LizzieB — June 1, 2012 @ 07:44
I never registered at Newsea, thank goodness. Thanks for looking though. I kind of thought it was them last night but I wanted to make sure.
Comment by Ohbehave007 — June 1, 2012 @ 08:58
Hi Coconut, I am registered at Newsea and usually keep a record of all the sites I have registered at but unfortunately I have no record of this so when I went to Newsea to try and change my account I could not remember the password as I have a few that I use. If I am on the list is it possible that you email me with the password so that I can change my information there.
I would actually like to ‘unregister’ myself there but could not see a way to do this. If you know how, could you please let us know.
Thank you so much for informing us of all TSR’s evil, despicable ways.
Reply: I have no idea, I am not a member of Newsea myself, so I do not know how the site works. You could ask Newsea, but I do not know how they will react. I will email you later as your email is the same on Newsea.
Note: To anyone else, for security reasons I can only email pass details to the address as it appears on Newsea ( for example; do not ask me to email bob@yahoo.com with the pass to bob@msn.com… not going to happen! ) – Coconut
Comment by Simstatic — June 1, 2012 @ 15:37
now i want to know can you see my email adress to?
Reply: No, but if you subscribed to Newsea, change your password. – Coconut
Comment by speedcat — June 1, 2012 @ 16:12
Thought it rather interesting that this comment (see below) was made on TSR’s forum on the 19th May and 10/11 days later Newsea’s site is hacked, makes you think.
http://www.thesimsresource.com/artists/newsea/guestbook/view
On May 19, 2012 bourjoise9 wrote: New!
I wish to unsubscribe from your site newsea. How do I do?
I googled about unsubscribing and came across this.
Comment by Simstatic — June 1, 2012 @ 16:19
So sorry but I see it is now back. My internet is really playing up by the looks of things as I am struggling to get onto your site as well as others.
I do apologise for the double post.
Thanks for your reply on the first post Coconut.
Reply: Not your fault – Comments are on approval, and I have only just logged in to approve.
– Coconut
Comment by Simstatic — June 1, 2012 @ 18:06
It sucks that tsr have dragged so many people into their shit, the sick thing is that a lot of those peeps on that list probably have nothing to do with tsr and their dumb ass turf war, now everyone has had their private stuff put on the net just so that fat little bastard can get even more money to buy another house or stuff stuff another prime steak down his greedy throat. I didn’t subscribe to newsea sims but i joined for the free stuff, now my pass will be out there for some sick shit to look at my emails and look at my private photos, I’ve changed my pass but I guess the whole of tsr knows my private stuff by now. I WILL find that dicks real home address, not his tsr office, and phone # and when I do there won’t be a corner of the internet I won’t post it in. Everyones gonna know he’s a hacker and a pedofile and where that scum lives.
Reply: Look and you shall find… Try your inbox
– Coconut
Comment by Marley — June 1, 2012 @ 19:59
Is my name on the list under this email?,i remember registering there just to get free hairs,never thought the tsr would of stooped that low. x
Reply: Did you use the same name and/or Email you have here? I can not see you on the list. – Coconut
Comment by stephiedddd — June 1, 2012 @ 20:54
Sorry if this is double posting but i made a post earlier and dont think it came up,but am I on the list?
Reply: Comments are on approval which is why your earlier comment did not appear straight away
– Coconut
Comment by xstefidx — June 1, 2012 @ 20:59
I’m sorry to bother you making you check this, but I honestly cannot remember if I registered on NewSea. Is my username and/or email on the list ? If so does the password starts with a d ?
Reply: No, I can not find your username or email – Coconut
Comment by Guicki — June 1, 2012 @ 21:38
Am I on the list? I need to know immediately this is crazy!!
Reply: No, I can not find your username or email – Coconut
Comment by Laura-lee — June 1, 2012 @ 21:57
Hi, if isn’t too much to ask, is my email on that list? I can’t remember what email I signed up with and it’s super important to know if this email is the one that is used.. Thanks :/
Reply: No, I can not find your username or email – Coconut
Comment by traelia — June 1, 2012 @ 21:59
It was just a matter of time. TSR doesn’t take (perceived) competition well, and they’ve already proven that they don’t give a damn about anyone’s safety, whether online or offline. As long as they make money.
Comment by Lol — June 1, 2012 @ 23:26
So if you are a member of TSR but not NewSea, will your information be on there? If so, can you tell me if I am on the list? Thank you sooo much for doing this. It’s good to know what happened and what to do.
Reply: From What I can tell, the list is confined to Newsea members only. I can not see your username or email on the list. – Coconut
Comment by Elysse — June 2, 2012 @ 00:40
Where’s the list? This is ridiculous. Who takes time out of their lives to do pathetic stuff like this? It’s flipping sad…
Comment by Merest — June 2, 2012 @ 00:49
Another blog was hacked. The blog owner is a member of TSR and posted this message at their member blog-
http://www.thesimsresource.com/members/ProwlerTylo/blog/view-post/post/23667/My%20Blog%20Deleted
I’m not sure if it is related to the Newsea fiasco or if PT was just a convenient victim.
[quote]May 27, 2012
My Blog Deleted
Blogpost added May 27, 2012, read 130 times
For those wondering about my blog….
My e-mail, username, and password for my gmail account which my blog was linked too, appeared on a known credit card stealing forum. So everything that was linked to my gmail account was deleted to prevent that information from being further compromised. I currently do not plan to add any of those items up here at TSR or to bring back my blog, I am not even creating, and do not know when I will return. Even when and if I do, I am not certain I even still have the items, because my box.net where everything was uploaded used my g-mail as a username, and the password was very similar to the one that was posted, thus it was deleted as well. Very sorry at this point those items may or may not still exist on my external drive and it is such a mess, looking for them will be a chore. You might try requesting the items from my blog (PTylo’s This and That + The Sims) at the Sims Cave. Just explain to them what happened, and let them know I directed you there to see if anyone could post the items. Who knows if anyone has them, but hopefully you will be able to find them. ~Sincerely, ProwlerTylo[/quote]
Reply: His username is not on the list, so it is doubtful this is connected with TSR’s attack on Newsea, this could be either unrelated to TSR or a direct personal attack on him by TSR. Without more information I really can not tell either way. – Coconut
Comment by mbnz — June 2, 2012 @ 01:58
Hey coconut is my information on that list?
Reply: Yes, different username, but your email is there. Data contains username, email, password, full name and your country. Change your password ASAP – Coconut
Comment by Me — June 2, 2012 @ 03:21
I’ve just changed my password for newsea, and I will probably not be going to TSR for a very long time, if ever again.
I do hope that if my information was on that list, that no one thought to abuse it.
Thank you for posting this.
Comment by Amanda — June 2, 2012 @ 05:04
Can you tell me if i am on that list?
Reply: Yes, same username and email. Data contains username, email, password, full name and your country. Change your password ASAP – Coconut
Comment by Katink1223 — June 2, 2012 @ 06:06
Is thomass has no work except making trouble over and over? I hope someone would hack tsr like the way he hack other site.
Comment by Donna — June 2, 2012 @ 10:01
I have registered for collecting freedbies from Newsea’s site, is my ID and PWD exposed too? Whoever did this, should feel ashamed of their pathetic life. Sick of it!
Reply: Yes, change your password ASAP. Your username, email, password, full name and country are all listed online. – Coconut.
Comment by AmberIndia — June 2, 2012 @ 15:08
sorry what you guys have to go through while dealing with the T$R cause i know they where doing stuff to me also when i had signed up to there website i know i was hacked couple of weeks ago where they where using my user name and password cause when i found out they hacked my Hotmail account also i found they where trying to bring me down by a virus and when i changed my password to my mail account i had to keep them out from using my email cause i found also they where sending my friends and linking there fb accounts all over i dont know who theses people are but i do feel you guys T$R are bunch of scums that need to be taken out to the trash and shown not to mess with us and are sites but i hope you guys find them and bring them down for good cause of what they did to us and are sits
Comment by stephan — June 2, 2012 @ 16:33
Am I on the list as well? Because I’m not sure whether I have an account on newsea or not. thanks in advance!
Reply: I can find simular usernames, but not the email address you have here. – Coconut
Comment by diamond — June 2, 2012 @ 20:56
Thank you sooooooo much. I changed it as soon as I left my comment.
Comment by Me — June 3, 2012 @ 02:31
I’m a member of NewSea and TSR, but I’m not sure if I’m on the list. Is it ok if you check?
Reply: No I am not seeing you on there with the username or email you supplied here. – Coconut
Comment by Chelsea — June 3, 2012 @ 04:03
Thank you so much for posting this. I changed my passwords immediately as I was a member of Newsea. When will TSR stop this stupid campaign against other sites? Its pathetic.
Comment by anga — June 3, 2012 @ 05:01
I just emailed the website I think that hosts this list (at least the cached version). I found it myself which apparently is very easy to do. I feel extremely violated by TSR and they seriously need to be brought down! This online bullying MUST stop!
Reply: I have emailed 2 sites that host this list, one has been taken down, but the other one is not taking any visible action as yet. – Coconut
Comment by FuckT$R — June 3, 2012 @ 11:29
hey there, could you please tell me if my email is on the list? would mean a lot. thanks.
Reply: No, I can not find your details on the list
– Coconut
Comment by 2hearts — June 3, 2012 @ 13:55
Hey there, I just wanted to know if any of my details are on that list?
Reply: No, I can not find your details on the list – Coconut
Comment by Sugars — June 3, 2012 @ 19:20
Hello, I am desperately trying to find out if I am on this list. I have another email that I use as well. I don’t remember what the user name is. I am a mom of two and I do all of my banking on this computer and am now terrified that I have been exposed. I’m scared someone will be able to hack my banking accounts. Please if you can give me any information at all I would appreciate it.
Reply: No, nothing for your email, I have found a missT with the first name listed as beginning with the letter L, but I do not know if that is you. – Coconut
Comment by MissT — June 3, 2012 @ 21:05
Is this email address associated with the hack? Please if you can tell me I would appreciate it.
Reply: No, nothing for your email – Coconut
Comment by T — June 3, 2012 @ 22:11
Is my email on there?
Reply: No I can not see it – Coconut
Comment by Kaycie — June 4, 2012 @ 00:58
Coconut how many sites had the list?
I found 3, ALL 3 have now taken the list down, only 1 google cache remains. – Coconut
Comment by FuckT$R — June 4, 2012 @ 02:58
Could you check if my email is on the list please?
Reply: No I can not see your mail there – Coconut
Comment by Over — June 4, 2012 @ 04:46
@Simstatic // I asked newsea to remove my account and they only kept saying they were sorry. So on my third request they finally answered with this one simple and rude word “ok”. But honestly there’s no way for me to check if they really removed the stuff from their database or not. Oh well, but you could “try” at least. Also, If I may add my two cents here, I personally don’t think changing TSR password isn’t a good idea. It’s like we are giving them one more private information about us. And you know, there’s also no way to completely delete your TSR account.
Comment by ohmysims — June 4, 2012 @ 17:00
Hi Coconut. I’m very sorry to have to ask as I’m sure you’re getting tired of checking for people, but I don’t remember if I’m registered at Newsea. Can you see me anywhere on the list? Thank you.
Reply: No I can not see your mail there – Coconut
Comment by EmilyMax — June 4, 2012 @ 17:50
@ohmysims Thanks, I will try. I don’t think it is right that you cannot remove yourself from a site. The thing that worries me now is that more and more Sims sites require registration before you can download anything and I feel that this is just opening us up to attack. I am at the point where I don’t want to register and if I can’t get the CC because of that then so be it. This is absolutely pathetic as it is just a game for pete’s sake. The love of money is the root of all evil and that definitely applies to TSR!!!
Comment by Simstatic — June 5, 2012 @ 02:17
Hi Coconut. Could you please tell me if my details is on the list? Thank you.
Reply: No I can not see you on there – Coconut
Comment by Lamenthia — June 5, 2012 @ 18:25
Hi, Coconut. Am I on the list?
Reply: No, I can not see you on there – Coconut
Comment by Pooklet — June 5, 2012 @ 20:14
Tell me Coconut, I too in this list?
Reply: Yes – Username, email, password, full name, country… Change your pass – Coconut.
Comment by Emilia McRay — June 6, 2012 @ 15:27
Hello Coconut, I’m terribly sorry for asking you this as I know many has asked the same and you’re probably tired of ransacking that list by now but do I happen to appear on that list? With either my e-mail or my name posted here as a username? I can’t for the life of me remember if I ever registered on Newsea’s website and there’s no way of checking either as I can’t get on their website properly. :<
Thank you and keep up the good work!
Reply: No, neither your username or email is on the list
– Coconut
Comment by Crusidul — June 7, 2012 @ 09:15
http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/password_strength.png
No need to even have an unencrypted database. (Although I’m pretty sure that the amount of effort and money needed to change the database to encrypted has stopped them from ever encrypting it, and they’re simply lying about it.) Depending on how badly they want to troll, I think they do hire hackers.
Comment by Lol — June 7, 2012 @ 20:12
Could you please let me know if my info is on this list. The first sims site I ever joined was TSR and I’ve been there very recently. I’m not a subscriber though. Thanks.
Reply: No, I can not find you on there – Coconut
Comment by Espanolagirl — June 7, 2012 @ 23:13
Hi Coconut….just wondering if I’m on there…thx!
Reply: No, I cannot see you anywhere on there.
– Coconut
Comment by dinad2610 — June 8, 2012 @ 20:52
True, Coconut, but 3,000+ potential complaints means nothing if not even one criminal charge, let alone conviction, comes out of it.
Crime after crime after crime and nothing happens to them. EA get sued over Securom, but T$R’s everlasting hacking? Nothing. What does it take for the long arm of the law to reach them?
Comment by Silver Arrows — June 13, 2012 @ 06:01
Coconut, I just wanted to know if I was on the list?
Reply: No, I can not see you on there. – Coconut
Comment by Stunt_Chicken — June 23, 2012 @ 23:29
How will I be able to find out if I’m on the list? I don’t know if I registered an account at newsea. Sites change layout designs which mess with memory. I’ve joined so many sites of the years with so many emails and passwords, i just don’t know.
Reply: One way is if you fill in your usual Email when you comment ( will not be shown on your comment ) I can check for you, but the best thing I would suggest is to change your password anyway. – Coconut
Comment by .... — July 9, 2012 @ 01:54
Only came across this now, and I think I did register on newsea a few months ago, could you please let me know if this email is on the list?
Reply: The list seems to no longer be online, I will keep a lookout to see if it emerges somewhere again, if it does I will check for your email. – Coconut
Comment by Arabella — August 28, 2012 @ 23:14
I know I’m kind of behind on all this but I JUST heard. I use the same password for a lot of sites. I wanted to know if my name is on the “Newsea” email list. Thanks, Tonia.
Reply: The list is not online anymore, last time I checked. I will do another search later today. Change any passwords you have used on Newsea/TSR to be safe. – Coconut
Comment by Tonia — October 17, 2012 @ 19:48
Thank you for this information. I do not have an account with TSR, i was wondering if i could still be affecte by this? Also, i was wondering how to UNregister with newsea
Comment by Lana — December 19, 2012 @ 20:25