sending copy of passport for access to ssh

[alethea]

If I am going to stay with Blue Host, I need to use ssh as some of my main files require chmod777. The problem is that I cannot get access to ssh unless I forward a copy of my driving licence or passport to them. Now they say this is to keep them safe, but it certainly does not make me feel safe. I don’t drive so have no driving licence so that leaves passport which means I would need to send a copy of my Passport through open email channels to people I do not know who do not trust me because they do not know me. Anyone who wishes to will be able to get full details of my passport and everyone in BlueHost who I know as little as they know me, hence have just as much reason not to trust them as they have me, will also have access. What do other people think? I really do think this is, particularly in this time of identity theft, asking a bit much and I do not feel safe with this. I also really, really wish that Hosting companies would say upfront things people need to know like you will not be able to use files that need chmod777 unless you use ssh and you will not be able to get that without sending us a copy of your passport, before you sign up. I have spend hours transferring my sites and it is looking like I am going to have to do it again. I can’t see me being happy sending my passport over the net or to people whose integrity I know as little as they know mine. Are other people well keen to have their passports flying around the world wide web for any shadowy figure to see and to people they only heard about a week or so ago?
alethea

[piku]

I just sent my DL as well. You can try getting an ID from your local DMV. That should serve the same as a DL. Besides, didn't you pay with a credit card? HTH

[walker]

Yes Alathea, it's not only ridiculous, but actually inciting illegal activity in some countries because we're forbidden from copying passports for this kind of thing. It's also been discussed here: http://bluehostforum.com/showthread.php?t=154

That it isn't mentioned before signing up is wrong, and the lack of footnotes probably gives you an easy way out of the sales contract (you didn't agree to this condition, did you?). It stinks also because it's only been considered from an American point of view. It assumes that people the world over have access to photo ID when they don't. Not all nations have identity cards, driving licenses with photos, etc. Even the analogy of producing ID in bars to protect the owner is American-centric because that isn't an international standard either. And where does this assumption come from that all site authors can drive and will therefore have a driving license? (Of the photo-ID kind or not.)

This -- now regular -- pattern of annoyance can easily be eliminated of course. Include a footnote about this requirement that's visible to users *before* signing up. But then a lot of people won't sign-up if a requirement of SSH access leaves them wide-open to identity theft. (To the point of invalidating their identity theft insurance policies if they wilfully handed over the ID that was used to clone their identity.)

Oh, and bluehost.com is down if anybody upstairs is reading.

[alethea]

Thanks for letting me know about the legal aspect and the links. Yes, I'm from the UK too so you have sorted the situation out and made it plain that I can't legally do this anyway even if I thought it a idea to try. I have just moved to Blue host and obviously wouldn't have if I had known about this problem, but I understood that there was a 30 money back cancellation period. Is that not true? I know I saw it when I signed up.

Alethea

[walker]

Thanks for letting me know about the legal aspect and the links. Yes, I'm from the UK too so you have sorted the situation out and made it plain that I can't legally do this anyway even if I thought it a idea to try. I have just moved to Blue host and obviously wouldn't have if I had known about this problem, but I understood that there was a 30 money back cancellation period. Is that not true? I know I saw it when I signed up.

Alethea

I'm fairly sure that's true Alethea, but if I was you, I'd give Bluehost.com a call first and ask if there's any chance they'll just enable SSH access for you anyway...certainly given the legal situation with passports and your concerns about identity theft. They're presumably verified your CC details after all.

Having said that, I'm thinking of jumping ship too before the thirty days are up. I'm fast coming to the conclusion that any host recommended at wordpress.org isn't worth bothering with (if you think the hidden terms and downtime here is bad you should see what dreamhost are like) and I should've just stuck with Modhost instead of being seduced by offers of more disk space for a similar price.

[alethea]

I'll have a look at modhost. I found websitesource very good but not much Mysql.
Thanks

[arctangent]

If I am going to stay with Blue Host, I need to use ssh as some of my main files require chmod777.

Erm, you don't need ssh to chmod your files, you can do that with most any FTP program, or with the File Manager from your Cpanel account.

[cdpuk]

You only need to send in a photo ID. I sent in a copy of my student card for my college with my name, photograph and student number. That was enough to get SSH enabled.


> Hi,
>
> I see I need to send you some sort of photo ID to get SSH access enabled. Will a student photo ID card be alright for this?
>
> Thanks
> -Chris


Chris,

Sure, as long as it is a photo ID with your name on it.

Thanks,
Dustin

Bluehost.com
Support Team

[Ducati]

Blah blah blah blah, piss moan and groan ....

It appears to me from your posts and replies that you are suffering from a simple case of not doing your homework.

I did my research on hosting sites waaaay before I laid a single penny out. I knew well beforehand that BlueHost would require some form of I.D. before granting Secure Shell access.

If you had any clue as to the implications of granting Secure Shell access to users would be, you wouldn't fret a minute over the I.D. demands. I for one, as a user of BlueHost. would sure as heck hope they verify folks before granting Secure Shell access. Of course systems are setup in such a way to keep users from abusing boundries and such ... but c'mon, we live in the real world. Give O/S access to a server and the potential just rises exponentialy.

And the whole basis for your argument was that you needed to chmod 777 a file. Let me spell it out to you in three easy baby steps ...

1. Log into your Cpanel, click "File Manager" ....

http://www.digitalminion.com/images/cpanel.jpg

2. Navigate to the file/directory you want to chgmod, and select "Change Permissions" ...

http://www.digitalminion.com/images/fileops.jpg

3. Presto ... look what pops up? CHMOD .....

http://www.digitalminion.com/images/chgmod.jpg

Now I'm an old-schooler myself, and having root access / SSH sure does make life a lot easier. But when dealing with another server that I'm not an admin on, a few tiny steps is not a lot to argue about.

It all boils down to ... 'doing your homework'

Thanks, and please drive through to the next window ....

-Duc

[tony-IT]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but most European countries require its citizens to have "Identification Card" even if you don't drive or have a passport.

I know this to be the case in Italy and France. I'm sure the process is a bit of a hassle, but it is the policy BH for good reason I'm sure that may not be obvious to everyone else. Otherwise, it would be dropped, which would reduce some of the work load on BH staff.

[walker]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but most European countries require its citizens to have "Identification Card" even if you don't drive or have a passport.


Wrong. .

[walker]

It appears to me from your posts and replies that you are suffering from a simple case of not doing your homework.

I did my research on hosting sites waaaay before I laid a single penny out. I knew well beforehand that BlueHost would require some form of I.D. before granting Secure Shell access.


Well I did my research too, Ducati, and I didn't know that. But regarding things like this, you shouldn't have to do your homework. It should be stated on the blurb page. Here:

http://www.bluehost.com/tell_me_more.html

It isn't. That's a problem. Oh yes it is. Because it's not the first time this has come up.



If you had any clue as to the implications of granting Secure Shell access to users would be, you wouldn't fret a minute over the I.D. demands. I for one, as a user of BlueHost. would sure as heck hope they verify folks before granting Secure Shell access.


And how does Photo ID verify somebody exactly when the person selling the product can't actually see you? If I signed up with a stolen credit card, do you really assume that I wouldn't have taken a Photo ID from the same wallet? What makes you so sure I wouldn't fake a Photo ID if I'd already taken the risk of signing up with a stolen credit card?

As for facsimiles of Passport photo ID, don't even go there considering how easy such an inevitably compromised copy would be to fake. But apparently that is acceptable.

Sure, demand Photo ID for SSH access by all means. I can appreciate that Bluehost need to cover their backs if somebody intends to use them for a DoS attack amongst other things. Just mention it on the blurb page so people realise this before they part with cash.



It all boils down to ... 'doing your homework'

Yes and I'm sure you passed your Diplomatic Relations course with honours. Well done.

[alethea]

These are replies to the supposed 'easy answers'
First - I have never had a problem using scripts with 777 permissions before so certainly would not have thought of asking if I could - certainly am now. This applies to the second answer of how to change permissions - this was not the problem.

Thirdly I have no, absolutely no photo identification apart from my passport. I dare say I could buy an illegal one on the internet saying I was anything I want as I know they are readily available and so student identifications and anything other than passport or driving liscence are not acceptable as identification in the UK. The result is that the hosting is not suitable to me and I should have been warned beforehand so as not to waste my time and energy. I also should not be asked to do things which are illegal. I knew to send a copy of my passport would not be sensible but I did not know it was illegal before being warned by other members of this forum.

My latest reply from Bluehost simply tells me 777 scripts cannot be posted. This definately should be printed clear for everyone to view.

So, in reply to the 'know it all replys' my response would be - get your information correct before being so high and mighty!
alethea

[walker]

... anything other than passport or driving liscence are not acceptable as identification in the UK.

You know, I've been driving for nearly eighteen years, and my Driving License (like millions of others) does not have a photo on it (incidentally, it's still a perfectly valid form of ID should I wish to hire a car). Like you, my passport is my only form of photographic ID. But it would be unlawful to email or fax a copy even to a UK based web presence provider. It's one thing presenting photo ID in person, quite another to make copies of it, or allow another organisation to make copies of it.


The result is that the hosting is not suitable to me and I should have been warned beforehand so as not to waste my time and energy.

That's it really. I don't have a problem with Bluehost's requirement of Photo ID. They should just be clear about it from the start, so customers can make the decision to shop elsewhere if this is a problem (from a legal standpoint or simply because photographic ID is uncommon in their homelands).

[funduk]

This talk of privacy and stuff is very interesting but it is somewhat moot when nowhere is listed the email address to send this stuff to. No matter what I sent to support@bluehost.com I get a bounceback saying create a ticket, and I can't attach a file to a ticket, it seems.

Anyone know where to send this stuff to?

[areidmtm]

Anyone know where to send this stuff to?

You can do all of that in cPanel in the SSH section.