Meta-PokéBase Q&A
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I use an iPhone 8 for YouTube and checking this site and another site( https://doodle-world.fandom.com ) and I used it before and got hacked(Yes, hacked) by only using this site. I don’t use YouTube or DW as much as here, so I’m thinking that the extra big jump from 115 to 139 trackers is coming from here. Is there any way to find and eliminate hackers/trackers and viruses here?

Really quick edit: That hack was a few years when if someone showed a web link using iMessage it would reroute to another web, then a third one. The sites are random but will reappear if I click the same link(I think?)

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@Fizz and @Anchor9 I mean tracker. Whoops
@MonkeyBuisness THOSE MESSAGES ARE FROM RELATIVES
Then complain to your relatives, not to us. Trackers look at your browser history but I don't think they ever "hack" anyone.
All I know is that one day, I hopped on for some stats, something happened, then I can never actually type pokemondb.com or see websites sent to me, I have to take the long route
Try erasing your browsing history or uninstalling or reinstalling your browser? That fixes most browser-related issues for me.
I’m saying that USED to happen. It’s fine now

1 Answer

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Best answer

For reference, I work in cybersecurity and have programmed a website before.

There is no evidence that pokemondb.net has been compromised ("hacked"), and as far as any of you are concerned, the site is secure. Pokemaster is a professional web developer, and Q2A (the platform PokeBase runs on) is open-source software led by Pokemaster himself and other programmers.

My guess is that you are concerned about blocked trackers reported by Safari's "Privacy Report" feature. I just tested this feature myself and now understand your concern -- that is an extremely confusing and worrying menu to show the average person. To recentre yourself, I recommend reading about what a tracker is from a source that isn't trying so hard to impress you. Hopefully that will explain why you sounded a bit funny talking about 139 hackers.

The trackers associated with pokemondb.net that Safari reports on are related to its advertising platform called BuySellAds -- specifically this script that loads every time you open a page here. That script makes a bunch of outgoing requests to marketing and analytics platforms that Apple considers to be trackers, which then contribute to pokemondb.net's tally. The way Apple dumps these results into a de-contextualised report for the end user to stumble upon and freak out about is pretty stupid.

In any case, Pokemaster says BuySellAds on pokemondb.net is non-personalised, so I don't think there's very much to worry about. If you still find it icky (or maybe you just don't like ads very much, imagine that) then you can use an adblocker.

Regarding links in iMessage being rerouted: I'm confident you're just talking about page redirects, most probably from a URL shortener. Rest assured that is normal and not a consequence of you being "hacked" (especially not via pokemondb.net). Bear in mind that threat actors can use URL shorteners to disguise the fact their website is "micr0s0ft.com", and will often send links using trusted accounts that they have stolen (ex: "free Robux" scams on Discord that your friend sends you after they unwittingly downloaded and ran a cookie stealer). But nothing to lose sleep over.

If you want my advice on personal security, here you go:

  1. Use a password manager (ex: Bitwarden). These help you avoid password reuse, adopt strong computer-generated passwords, and remove the memory work from entering your password.
  2. Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) on everything you can, preferably with an authenticator app (ex: 2FAS). These secure your online accounts (Google, Facebook, your password manager, etc) even if their password is leaked. Unfortunately, PokeBase has no MFA, which reinforces the need for a strong password.
  3. Use an adblocker (ex: uBlock Origin). These stop you seeing ads (which are sometimes created by threat actors) and also utilise blocklists of known malicious domains.
  4. Be wary of phishing. Intelligent and alert people often fail to notice phishing. Try this quiz.
  5. Be careful downloading and running executables, especially if you're looking for something like cracked software or video game mods. These are often the entry point for infostealers.
  6. Keep your software updated, especially your browser and operating system.
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Thanks
I've been using a browser extension called Privacy Badger for a few years. Do you know anything about that?
no i dont
Privacy Badger overlaps substantially with good adblockers, but it doesn't hurt.