Urgent advice regarding MineCraft

[Doctor Azo]

We're getting ready for a major update to our MC server, however whether we do or not it's come to my attention that some members no longer have valid usernames which is a concern to security. Mojang now allows paid/official member username changes however our MC server still relies on usernames for identification. Although our server also stores UUID's if the player has logged in at all, the update requires translating current usernames to UUID's and will be used for authenticating from now on. Even if we don't update, if you change your username to something else and someone else takes your white-listed username they WILL be able to at least connect under your name with group permissions granted as that is only name based too. Although it's unlikely, it may happen to someone eventually and they will not be able to get their name back and could lose everything stored under their character. If we do update, valid/existing usernames will be converted automatically but invalidated or unused names will not and thus we'll have to remove them (names) from the white-list; player data which holds a UUID or is unique will remain of course. Please consider the following:

• Do NOT change your MC username until after we update and test it thoroughly.
• If you've changed your name I recommend changing it back ASAP.
• If you have never logged on to our MC server (thus have no records stored) and your name is invalid it will be removed from the WL whether we update or not, along with your medal. You must then be enlisted again although you'll be able to use any other MC account.
• If you do change your username and we update (which is likely) and don't change it back in time, we may be able to manually sort out the necessary files as long as there are existing ones and linked via UUID. However we ask you to be patient and test it before resuming normal play.
• If in the unlikely event we cannot recover your player data you may have to start anew.
• If you change your name and we don't update, you will not be able to log in and your username could get taken by someone else and they'll at least be able to log on. They probably won't be able to access all of your stuff but they'll still have player privileges and other players will likely mistake them for you, and should they cause an offence it could lead to all your AGN accounts being suspended until we rectify the situation. This is why it's best to de-list your account name.
• If you don't return in time or remain AWOL with a no-longer-valid username your player account will eventually get suspended anyway and your owned plots will be repossessed.

I may send out PM's/e-mails to all those with lost usernames but please take action or ask an admin/op ASAP. Remember your UUID is static and uniquely identifies your MC account, while usernames are no longer permanently tied to them. Currently our WL and permissions plugin only checks usernames, while the other features should verify UUID's as well or instead. Please remember that this is not really due to AGN but a Mojang and (Craft)Bukkit complication which produced the game and the server software as well as some unofficial plugins of which are written by various people.