So I noticed that some people are posting links in the forums. When you hover over the link, it appears to be a regular link, but when you click on it, you get signed out.

I saw that too, it's weird.

It seems to just be an error. For example, I think (not sure) that you will be signed out if you put random numbers after your username in a link. (Actually it seems that one only works with very specific numbers, I don't know what those are.) Also some Scratch error pages do that too.

GameCatastrophe0927 wrote:

It seems to just be an error. For example, I think (not sure) that you will be signed out if you put random numbers after your username in a link. (Actually it seems that one only works with very specific numbers, I don't know what those are.) Also some Scratch error pages do that too.

Not an error one of the links was scratch.mit.edu/abouta

Some pages return malformed cookies; unless I recall wrong.

Coughfe wrote:

Some pages return malformed cookies; unless I recall wrong.

Can you elaborate?

82BITMYSTERY wrote:

(#4)

GameCatastrophe0927 wrote:

It seems to just be an error. For example, I think (not sure) that you will be signed out if you put random numbers after your username in a link. (Actually it seems that one only works with very specific numbers, I don't know what those are.) Also some Scratch error pages do that too.

Not an error one of the links was scratch.mit.edu/abouta

i'll try click here

crazyfrogcat wrote:

82BITMYSTERY wrote:

(#4)

GameCatastrophe0927 wrote:

It seems to just be an error. For example, I think (not sure) that you will be signed out if you put random numbers after your username in a link. (Actually it seems that one only works with very specific numbers, I don't know what those are.) Also some Scratch error pages do that too.

Not an error one of the links was scratch.mit.edu/abouta

i'll try click here

worked

Cookies are what keep you logged in—If the cookie is eaten deleted or malformed you will/may be signed out. I believe what @Coughfe is trying to say is that these pages malform the cookie, and so therefore log you out.

starlightsparker wrote:

Cookies are what keep you logged in—If the cookie is eaten deleted or malformed you will/may be signed out. I believe what @Coughfe is trying to say is that these pages malform the cookie, and so therefore log you out.

E.g. they set the cookie with bad data. The cookie is stored on your device and it’s usually only set when you sign in, although it depends on the website.

As starlight said, the cookie was likely modified to include invalid data.

Scratch's website is essentially 2 completely different websites mashed together (the 3.0 and the 2.0 pages), and that causes some weird bugs. One of those weird bugs is, apparently, /abouta logging you out (because requesting that page makes the server send a “Set-Cookie” header to clear the user's session).
I'm not really sure how that happens. If I recall correctly, I once asked @codubee* about it, and they (he?) just told me that it's because of the 3.0+2.0 sites together thing. They didn't elaborate much

CST1229 wrote:

(#11)
Scratch's website is essentially 2 completely different websites mashed together (the 3.0 and the 2.0 pages), and that causes some weird bugs. One of those weird bugs is, apparently, /abouta logging you out (because requesting that page makes the server send a “Set-Cookie” header to clear the user's session).
I'm not really sure how that happens. If I recall correctly, I once asked @codubee* about it, and they (he?) just told me that it's because of the 3.0+2.0 sites together thing. They didn't elaborate much

oh yeh you can see pages that look like 2.0 plus in 4.0 you might see pages that look like 3.0

crazyfrogcat wrote:

CST1229 wrote:

(#11)
Scratch's website is essentially 2 completely different websites mashed together (the 3.0 and the 2.0 pages), and that causes some weird bugs. One of those weird bugs is, apparently, /abouta logging you out (because requesting that page makes the server send a “Set-Cookie” header to clear the user's session).
I'm not really sure how that happens. If I recall correctly, I once asked @codubee* about it, and they (he?) just told me that it's because of the 3.0+2.0 sites together thing. They didn't elaborate much

oh yeh you can see pages that look like 2.0 plus in 4.0 you might see pages that look like 3.0

Off-topic from the OP, but 3.0 was rushed and that’s why there is still some 2.0 pages. Thus, if 4.0 wasn’t rushed, there would only be 4.0 pages. However, since 3.0 is constantly improving, we may see all 3.0 pages in the future. Thus, if 4.0 was to be rushed, then yes, there would be 3.0 pages.

scratch.mit.edu/aboutskibiditoilet also signs you out

BluePixelLOLLL wrote:

scratch.mit.edu/aboutskibiditoilet also signs you out

Any arbitrary string after scratch.mit.edu/about signs you out.

BluePixelLOLLL wrote:

(#14)
scratch.mit.edu/aboutskibiditoilet also signs you out

Prank someone by redirecting them to https://scratch.mit.edu/about-us and they will be really confused.

BluePixelLOLLL wrote:

scratch.mit.edu/aboutskibiditoilet also signs you out

I am concerned for the future of this country

CST1229 wrote:

One of those weird bugs is, apparently, /abouta logging you out (because requesting that page makes the server send a “Set-Cookie” header to clear the user's session).

Indeed it does: