Beware of using Tapatalk and Forum Runner
 

Hi,

Mobile devices need a different lightweight kind of UI than the styles designed for desktop/laptop computers. Therefore mobile forum UI apps like Forum Runner and Tapatalk have gained popularity with forum users and admins in recent years. However there are problems with using these apps which forum admins need to be aware of.

The problem is, and I learned this the hard way that while these apps respect default vbulletin permissions, they don't work with custom mods that alter these permissions since the APIs don't call the hooks that these mods use. So what happens is that you may find that a mod which works perfectly with desktops will not work/can be bypassed with these mobile apps.

In Tapatalk most of these hooks are just commented out. You can uncomment them and get some of the mods working but this may not work correctly or it could prevent tapatalk from functioning correctly.

So if you have some custom mods that is necessary for normal functioning of your forum then consider that these mod may not work with Tapatalk/Forum Runner and users may be able to bypass any custom permissions that you have set. In some cases this may outweigh any additional functionality that these mobile apps offer and you may have to dispense with the use of these mobile apps altogether so that your custom mods work properly.

All true- learned this long ago... I have kept them available since I felt bad users paid for them just for my site but now I encourage people to use the mobile style instead because one day I will be ending support for both apps- (when my users figure it out. ;))

So Tapatalk could be used to spy on restricted forums like admin sections?

I have known this to happen, yes.

There you go .. http://support.tapatalk.com/threads/...ccessed.11096/

Not if you use the vBulletin built in permissions to control access. If you rely on a 3rd party mod to control access then yes.

One way to test would be to go to Admin CP -> settings -> Options -> Plugin / Hook System and disable it.

If you can access your "hidden" forums as a regular user with plugins disabled then so can tapatalk users. If you can't then you are safe in that respect.

But anything users can do with plugins disabled they can do on tapatalk.

Good to know.
Also renders your Google ads useless. :(

is this a real concern guys ? as i have both loaded on my forum ?

It's only a concern if you use 3rd party mods to restrict permissions. Built in permissions are respected by both plugins.

cool thanks, i dont use 3rd party, stick with VB as much as possible

Not a fan of tapatalk to be honest. :(

That sucks.

I think there was not mentioned how to disable/remove Tapatalk? anyone please?

To disable and remove Tapatalk go to your Admin CP -> Plugins & Products -> Product Manager, find Tapatalk, choose "Uninstall" from the drop down menu.

Then log into your server either File Manager via cPanel/Plesk or by FTP and delete the folder Tapatalk was installed in, by default it's something like mobiquo IIRC but it can be customized.

You should probably also log into Tapatalk and mark you have removed your site or whatever or you'll keep getting emails from them that the site isn't setup correctly.

this is a 6 year old thread, you should keep TapaTalk enabled.

No need to remove anything so long as you keep it updated at all times. Software can become vulnerable(exploits found) but usually they're patched rather quickly.

It's those who run websites, forums, and more that just install software and forget about it that run into issues. I'm still working on sites today that have files from 2012 present and the software isn't compatible with anything higher than php5.4, it's the sheer oversight and lack-there-of (in regards to caring) that make sites vulnerable. Do you buy a car and never changes the oil or brakes? What will happen if you don't do routine maintenance on a car? Case in point the analogy holds true in comparison to software both online and on your computer ;).

Just want to mention my prior posts at this thread were made as the software was at the time the posts were originally written, to the best of my knowledge. I no longer keep up on what or how Tapatalk works and my past comments should not be considered relevant, I have no reason to think anything changed but I haven't verified it in years.

And Forum Runner is basically dead so don't bother with that.