Xerobank Presents Workshops for the U.S Intelligence Community

Interesting. So you are suggesting that as a paying Xb member for 2 years, because I don't have more than 100 posts on a third party forum that I "best be ignored"?

Ironic that the majority of my posts on Wilders are to try and get some assistance from other members regarding Xb due to the Xb team seemingly vanishing.

Further, please do not attempt to group many of us as having made "wild speculations". A lot of comments here (that you repeatedly fail to even acknowledge, let alone address) go to FACTS such as:

- Continued sub-par technical support for Xb customers;
- Total non-response to Onyx information requests;
- Ambiguous product announcements (Dark.ai?) that appear to be spin over substance.

This is the root discussion Steve. Loyal customers who have flown the Xb flag for some time have unanswered questions. These questions have now become stale and accordingly so has Xb's credibility.

Can you not understand then, how it is so inflammatory for you to make an appearance in this thread yet ignore all of these important legitimate concerns? The only "fear, uncertainty, and doubt" is that which exists directly through Xb's failure to demonstrate that its customers mean anything to it.
As repeated throughout this thread, many users are hopeful that you can help Xb turn this around. I won't hold my breath that you will respond properly to this thread in a timely manner, but if you were to do so it would be a solid first step.

 

I wouldn't trust Tor much either. The endpoints can be dubious.

I used to use XB but I wouldn't go near it again.

Here's a favorite lyric on the subject from one of Steve's favorite bands:

"Untrustable" by Built to Spill (-http://www.mtv.com/videos/built-to-spill/18472/untrustable.jhtml#artist=341-):

you can't trust anyone
cause you're untrustable
how can you trust someone you know can't trust you
you won't help anyone
cause you're unusable
no one can tie you down
you're nobody's fool
and I'd love to see it but it's something you just feel
and I'd like to feel it but it just isn't real
and god is whoever you're performing for
and god is whoever you perform for
you don't like anything cause you're unlikable
all because you're not interested in you anymore
it's so unthinkable cause you don't think of it
how many ideas can fit in your reality
and I'd love to see it but it's something you just feel
and I'd like to feel it but it just isn't real
and I'd love to see it but it's something you just feel
and I'd like to feel it but it just isn't real
and god is whoever you're performing for
and god is whoever you perform for

 

why is it that all Xerobank threads degrade into, I hate Steve or I hate Xerobank.
It appears there is an anti-fandom fan club as a negative publicity campaign.
I would fire the image consultant for providing stale, redundant, offtopic content.

 

What are you characterizing as "do[ing] business"?

 

Hey, I've given up trying

And consider the (presumptive, albeit) facts. He hung with cDc "anonymously". I vaguely recall seeing video of him at the talk (at Defcon?) where Hacktivismo went public. He worked on Tor, and helped create Torpark. And then he went very public as the spokesperson for XeroBank.

Conversely, consider that, for many hackers who go that public, the first step is prison time. Most of the rest are very clear about renouncing their regrettable pasts. They become security consultants. And they don't, for example, front for entities like Xero Networks!

Perhaps he's chosen a path out of "The Second Realm". Or perhaps Dune I can't say, from here.

 

OK, that's what I suspected

As I recall, "we" had this conversation about XeroBank a year or two ago. FWIW, my position hasn't changed substantially -- I'm OK with conversations, and perhaps even consulting, but nothing that compromises operational security.

 

That is true, but Tor never said they were about privacy, but instead are about anonymity. There's a difference. The exit node can see what you're doing but he cannot see who you are.

 

Wow, Steve. I still expected better from you. You come here, with all the questions about the lack of communication, no support, no forum, on and on and on and all you can do is post a picture of FUD and basically say to ignore the messenger because of a low post count? As far as I'm concerned, you lost ALL credibility here with that last post. A sad saga that should probably be put to rest with that post. My jaw was on the floor. A point by point attempt at trying to answer customers and former customers questions would have been nice. But, you said you were getting back to your day off. Your DAY off? It's more like your days off have extended into a complete vanishing act for you and XeroBank. Game, set, match. I's pretty much say XB finished themselves off, if they weren't already, with that pompous post completely lacking in any information whatsoever.

It's clear you're on to your next project. Don't expect anyone here to believe a word. So many broken promises, so much "on the way", so much just a "week or so from release". I hated the guy at the time, but I honestly have to say our friend Genady Prishnikov had you pegged a long time ago. Your charm offensive worked then, it certainly won't now. He was right, I and a lot of others were wrong. You know the saying --- fool me once.......

 

@LockBox

I really don't get why you and some others are so critical of Steve and XeroBank. It seems that you keep expecting them to operate like a typical corporation. Isn't it rather obvious by now that they're not, and won't? Why not just accept them for what they are, and do?

Except for a few brief interruptions, most announced, their VPN services have been available 24/7 for two years. That's what matters, for me. Although there were some SMTP outages, triggered by spammers, they've resolved them. Better customer support would certainly be good. However, I've found everything I've needed in the support documents.

 

They think their team is #1 and carry this football attitude with them.
But the NFL is a corporation that must be profitable and the comissioner (CEO) ultimately decides who will win and lose.
Rooting for their team, or denigrate all the opposing teams, will not make their team or them a winner, though they believe so futilely.

 

Just as night follows day and pot follows honey. And just as predicted:

I swore I wouldn't respond, but I simply can't resist commenting on the irony...no, make that, the audacity of Mr. Topletz’s appeal for trust. I fully expected the usual dodge routine and got it. I also expected to see a display of the old axiom, "the best defense is a good offense" and got that too. However, what astounded me was his use of the "t" word as it applies to him. Even in the face of his misrepresentations and Xerobank’s treatment and ultimate abandonment of its customers, he had the temerity to show up here and suggest that he is still worthy of our trust! Amazing…simply amazing.

He is right about one thing, though. My post does give the appearance that it was my first. By rights, any facts, statements, or claims made within it certainly deserve a closer-than-usual credibility check. Trouble is, no personal claims or statements of fact were made. My post simply referenced documents that are there for anyone to see.

Furthermore, while this poster didn’t ask to be entrusted with anything, much less anyone’s most private of private communications and data, ...trust was the very product that Mr. Topletz's operation was set up to sell. Irony enters in as now, even after Xerobank’s broken service commitments and ultimate abandonment of its customers…to say nothing of the duplicitous nature of Mr. Topletz’s actions and associations…he feels he should still be trusted. Using a strange twist of logic that holds absolutely no water, he bases is argument solely on the grounds of the low post count of the person who pointed to information that already exists out on the web. Again, amazing…simply amazing!

But you know what? In all fairness, I could have planted all those documents out there. Yep, sure could have. I mean, for all anyone knows I could have also posed as Mr. Topletz on Xerobank’s own forum and told everyone how I’d been invited inside the building that houses the most sensitive NSA telecommunications intercept operations on the planet, and been the one to post that picture of it too! Yep…gotta watch who ya trust these days.

After all, I could be anybody. Perhaps I’m just some skript kiddie who’s trying to get her or his jollies, or maybe I’m simply a disgruntled customer with a nine-month old outstanding support ticket who can't get the autobilling to her credit card turned off. Or then again, perhaps I might be a retired or even active member of the intel community. Who knows?

Or maybe…just maybe…I might even be a former colleague and human rights activist who has become sickened to the core by the hypocrisy that all the pieces to the puzzle that is Xerbank are beginning to form.

But nahhh…that couldn’t be me. After all, a betrayal like that would be a betrayal most foul and rank in the highest of high orders. No, betrayals of this scope are beginning to take shape as being the sole proprietorship of whomever or whatever is behind Xerobank.


Xile

 

In the Xerobank_presskit.pdf as well as ST listed, right at the bottom also is this name.

Bruno Delpeuc’h, European Liaison Officer

I've never seen or heard of him anywhere else, has anyone ?

 

That's quite a load of innuendo, there. Seriously!

It would be more useful if you would just share your true issues with Steve and XeroBank. Believe me, I would.

"O ye of little faith." We shall see.

In any case, what counts for me is that XeroBank provides the level of anonymity that Steve claims it does. AFAIK, no evidence has been presented that it doesn't. If you have any, please share. While it's obvious that we can't believe his claims re new services, that's entirely distinct, IMHO.

And really, "abandonment of its customers" is a bit much, isn't it? I pay $35 per month for 85 GB throughput, with as many simultaneous connections as I can manage. That's not "abandonment" in my world.

I recall that Steve posted the 666 Folsom photo. I don't recall that he even joked that he'd been invited inside, however. There was a user comment to that effect, however.

 

autobilling ? that is serious ~ Snipped as per TOS ~....

 

and about customer service

 

Yes, it's apparently true that XeroBank can't stop recurrent billing of user accounts. You need to handle that yourself with DalPay. While you may consider that fraud, I believe that it's a "feature" of XeroBank's implementation.

That is, money flows from DalPay to your XeroBank payment account, and then to your VPN access account. it's designed to be a one-way flow. There's supposedly no way to know which access account got the credit. And so, there's no way to know which deposit account to terminate for an access account that doesn't work. Even if you provide both account numbers to XeroBank support, it's nontrivial. And if you've lost your password, forget it.

I gather that XeroBank is indeed a support nightmare. And that was by careful design

It's not been a fun job, I gather. And perhaps they didn't plan adequately for support.

 

There's a great discourse in Burroughs' Place of Dead Roads -- or perhaps it's Cities of the Red Night -- on writing bad reviews. I recommend that y'all check it out. Anyway, the key is making no specific criticisms, and creating negative images. Seems familiar, doesn't it?

 

It's what happens when a one-person company tries to weave a story about something much more than it is. It eventually spins out-of-control and they run for cover.

 

Chronomatic is absolutely right. I wish more people understood this.

 

I'm like you, Poosey, at this point --- who knows?

 

I don't see those two quotes of mine as inconsistent. Please see my response below for an illustration.

IMHO, "faulty trust model" is a vague generalization, in that it doesn't distinguish between serially promising vaporware, being a CIA honeypot.

That's pretty clear, I think.

 

@PooseyII

Look, it's not at all that I trust Steve and XeroBank because I know him/them personally. I don't.

And it's not at all because I "believe" what he says.

I trusted him initially because of his history with cDc and Hacktivismo, and because thorough google-stalking revealed no show-stoppers. I continue to trust him because none of y'all have provided substantive evidence why I shouldn't.

He's certainly arrogant. And he's undeniably been flakey. However, even his strongest detractors have come up with nothing worse, except vague innuendo. If he were as untrustworthy as you suggest, wouldn't colleagues from cDc and Hacktivismo be posting the gory details here?

If y'all are aware of any such evidence, please share.

 

@PooseyII

Dude, after all that, your best shot is calling me a fool, and stalking off? I had expected better. IMHO, you either have nothing on Steve, or lack the courage to share it. If it's the latter, perhaps heros will step forward (or not).

 

This thread is doomed. The info is there to be read in the first page.. there is no need for people to get upset at others who aren't on the Anti-Xerobank bandwagon. I don't trust Steve and don't trust Xerobank but that's my opinion.
Let's leave it at that and end the personal attacks between us.

 

Thanks, apathy. I rather lost it, there. PooseyII, I apologize for my tone.

FWIW, I do get that Steve's apparent flakiness raises questions about the overall wisdom of trusting him. That's a personal decision, and we're all entitled to our opinions.