(01-11-2024, 09:45 PM)s1nist3r_ Wrote: not really about social engineering, but Mothered is one of (i think so) the founders of the Social Engineering section in this forum. He has helped countless people successfully go on their SEing journey and has answered so many dumb questions.

the last active date shown on his account was in august of 2023. does anyone have any idea what happened to him?

(01-12-2024, 02:14 AM)Elsdebo Wrote:

(01-11-2024, 09:45 PM)s1nist3r_ Wrote: not really about social engineering, but Mothered is one of (i think so) the founders of the Social Engineering section in this forum. He has helped countless people successfully go on their SEing journey and has answered so many dumb questions.

the last active date shown on his account was in august of 2023. does anyone have any idea what happened to him?

Theories:
He is no longer among the living.
His physical health has worsened, as he mentioned some struggles with it.
He set up a cold and sudden break from his creative activities, a clean exit to retire.
He has been employed by Big Corp and can no longer have any ties to unsavory fora such as these.
He was an AI to sweeten this SE honeypot forum.
He's in the prizzy.
He forgot his password.


I believe Oni, the mod here, was familiar enough with Mothereds deteriorating health to suspect the cause of his absense. Possible it is the permanent kind of absence..
There's some threads about it.

• Dead. It was sudden and there are very few signs that point to any specific outcome.
  
• Retired. If he wanted to retire quietly, he did a good job of it. We're all still guessing.
  
• Health. He was an older guy, but I was not privy to information of any health conditions.
  
• Prison. Very unlikely, given his opsec. If anything, I could see him being a 3-letter.
  
• Circumstances. I received information regarding his employment status over the past few years, I do not believe that to be the case.
  
• Forgot password. His password didn't change for 2 years and he would be able to contact me if this were the case.
  
• AI. I cannot divulge why, but it's almost an impossibility he was AI.

(01-12-2024, 02:47 AM)Oni Wrote:

(01-12-2024, 02:14 AM)Elsdebo Wrote:

(01-11-2024, 09:45 PM)s1nist3r_ Wrote: not really about social engineering, but Mothered is one of (i think so) the founders of the Social Engineering section in this forum. He has helped countless people successfully go on their SEing journey and has answered so many dumb questions.

the last active date shown on his account was in august of 2023. does anyone have any idea what happened to him?

Theories:
He is no longer among the living.
His physical health has worsened, as he mentioned some struggles with it.
He set up a cold and sudden break from his creative activities, a clean exit to retire.
He has been employed by Big Corp and can no longer have any ties to unsavory fora such as these.
He was an AI to sweeten this SE honeypot forum.
He's in the prizzy. 
He forgot his password.


I believe Oni, the mod here, was familiar enough with Mothereds deteriorating health to suspect the cause of his absense. Possible it is the permanent kind of absence..
There's some threads about it.

I've probably speculated more than anyone, but there is no definitive proof that points to a specific outcome. I wish we could find closure, but the information isn't there.

If I were to guess (in order of likelyhood):

• Dead. It was sudden and there are very few signs that point to any specific outcome.
  
• Retired. If he wanted to retire quietly, he did a good job of it. We're all still guessing.
  
• Health. He was an older guy, but I was not privy to information of any health conditions.
  
• Prison. Very unlikely, given his opsec. If anything, I could see him being a 3-letter.
  
• Circumstances. I received information regarding his employment status over the past few years, I do not believe that to be the case.
  
• Forgot password. His password didn't change for 2 years and he would be able to contact me if this were the case.
  
• AI. I cannot divulge why, but it's almost an impossibility he was AI.
  

(01-12-2024, 04:40 PM)Roadman Wrote: There's a small private social engineering group with invite only Sinister members, it's called Deceit. One of the members from there should know. I'm not sure why it's being kept a secret. I know for certain at least one person, minimum, knows.

(01-12-2024, 11:59 AM)Jaccmcmcnn Wrote:

(01-12-2024, 02:47 AM)Oni Wrote:

(01-12-2024, 02:14 AM)Elsdebo Wrote: Theories:
He is no longer among the living.
His physical health has worsened, as he mentioned some struggles with it.
He set up a cold and sudden break from his creative activities, a clean exit to retire.
He has been employed by Big Corp and can no longer have any ties to unsavory fora such as these.
He was an AI to sweeten this SE honeypot forum.
He's in the prizzy. 
He forgot his password.


I believe Oni, the mod here, was familiar enough with Mothereds deteriorating health to suspect the cause of his absense. Possible it is the permanent kind of absence..
There's some threads about it.

I've probably speculated more than anyone, but there is no definitive proof that points to a specific outcome. I wish we could find closure, but the information isn't there.

If I were to guess (in order of likelyhood):

• Dead. It was sudden and there are very few signs that point to any specific outcome.
  
• Retired. If he wanted to retire quietly, he did a good job of it. We're all still guessing.
  
• Health. He was an older guy, but I was not privy to information of any health conditions.
  
• Prison. Very unlikely, given his opsec. If anything, I could see him being a 3-letter.
  
• Circumstances. I received information regarding his employment status over the past few years, I do not believe that to be the case.
  
• Forgot password. His password didn't change for 2 years and he would be able to contact me if this were the case.
  
• AI. I cannot divulge why, but it's almost an impossibility he was AI.
  

Just wondering what you meant by him being 3 letter in regards to the opsec theory?

Not too informed on this subject.

Also, that would mean even if mothered viewed this forum on an account that is not this one, that you would not know?

(01-12-2024, 02:47 AM)Oni Wrote: I've probably speculated more than anyone, but there is no definitive proof that points to a specific outcome. I wish we could find closure, but the information isn't there.

If I were to guess (in order of likelyhood):

• Forgot password. His password didn't change for 2 years and he would be able to contact me if this were the case.
  
  

Quote:It's probably not even anything special I don't know why anybody is taking it so seriously the guy probably just got bored and went and found something else to do it's not like he was making money here helping people

(01-12-2024, 10:15 PM)Elsdebo Wrote:

(01-12-2024, 02:47 AM)Oni Wrote: I've probably speculated more than anyone, but there is no definitive proof that points to a specific outcome. I wish we could find closure, but the information isn't there.

If I were to guess (in order of likelyhood):

• Forgot password. His password didn't change for 2 years and he would be able to contact me if this were the case.
  
  

When you get older you start to forget things! Surely he would have been smart enough to write it on a yellow post-it and stick it to his monitor.
Jk. I was trying to be a bit lighthearted about it. The mystery remains.

Quote:It's probably not even anything special I don't know why anybody is taking it so seriously the guy probably just got bored and went and found something else to do it's not like he was making money here helping people

I think it was more than that for him.
Every user is like a probe, which can give feedback on certain SE's. It's like a network of sensors. He encouraged this I think.
I assumed from what I saw on his blog that he once might have had an ambition to consult to companies or whoever wanted to protect themselves against SE.
It's quite lonely doing these unsavory things because nobody can know. So Mothered, a SE pro, was the SE pro mainly online. You can't really get recognition for it irl.

(01-12-2024, 10:15 PM)Elsdebo Wrote:

(01-12-2024, 02:47 AM)Oni Wrote: I've probably speculated more than anyone, but there is no definitive proof that points to a specific outcome. I wish we could find closure, but the information isn't there.

If I were to guess (in order of likelyhood):

• Forgot password. His password didn't change for 2 years and he would be able to contact me if this were the case.
  
  

When you get older you start to forget things! Surely he would have been smart enough to write it on a yellow post-it and stick it to his monitor.
Jk. I was trying to be a bit lighthearted about it. The mystery remains.

Quote:It's probably not even anything special I don't know why anybody is taking it so seriously the guy probably just got bored and went and found something else to do it's not like he was making money here helping people

I think it was more than that for him.
Every user is like a probe, which can give feedback on certain SE's. It's like a network of sensors. He encouraged this I think.
I assumed from what I saw on his blog that he once might have had an ambition to consult to companies or whoever wanted to protect themselves against SE.
It's quite lonely doing these unsavory things because nobody can know. So Mothered, a SE pro, was the SE pro mainly online. You can't really get recognition for it irl.