Rename global users with invalid characters on their usernames
Open, MediumPublic
Actions

Assigned To

None

Authored By

	MarcoAurelio
	Mar 12 2017, 7:28 PM

Description

Interesting output at https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:GlobalUsers/a doing unrelated things.

Those usernames with @ or starting in lowercase should probably be batch renamed to Invalid username~xyz as done with previous cases.

P5054 Batch of invalid CA usernames

1	a-giâu (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
2	aalku (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
3	abc123456789 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
4	acf (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
5	airtrony (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
6	aliconda (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
7	aliundalex (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
8	allo2u (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
9	angelina1505 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
10	apfeldieb (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
11	archambaultluc37 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
12	archeos (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
13	arf (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
14	ariser (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
15	arobase92 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
16	asalinasci (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
17	autogro (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
18	bFunk (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
19	baco (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
20	baltic (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
21	barbol (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
22	baui (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
23	behnaz@wikipedia.com (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
24	bermal (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
25	berndjochen (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
26	berwein (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
27	bestiarosa (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
28	bilby (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
29	birgitta (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
30	blonkm (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
31	bmille (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
32	bonnie (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
33	bontenbal (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
34	braegel (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
35	bruno (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
36	bruno.lombardi (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
37	bugin (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
38	camoes (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
39	car grégoire (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
40	carbenium (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
41	carebo69 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
42	carl grégoire (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
43	carlosr5007 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
44	casper (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
45	cecio (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
46	chaturangam (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
47	che (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
48	chinnu (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
49	cityangle (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
50	ckmajor (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
51	cmathaes (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
52	codypandora (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
53	coeurgan (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
54	couyimin (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
55	cronimus (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
56	ctschirk (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
57	cubefox (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
58	d (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
59	damien710 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
60	daniel.graziotin (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
61	debel (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
62	delight (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
63	demi 84 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
64	deweerdt (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
65	diba (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
66	djam (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
67	dlc (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
68	dmgerman (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
69	doenie (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
70	domigarc (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
71	drjackzon (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
72	dubaduba (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
73	ecureuil gris (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
74	ecz (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
75	egkaufmann (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
76	ejfis (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
77	elena.ross (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
78	elevbe (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
79	email-sc (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
80	ernded (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
81	espartacox (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
82	estakroon (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
83	estevez (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
84	etk (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
85	etxrge (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
86	eusbarbosa (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
87	fabi1 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
88	fantolino70 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
89	feigling (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
90	fgb (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
91	fikret56 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
92	finanzer (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
93	fiona (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
94	flyingbird (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
95	foerster.steffi (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
96	fomanita (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
97	fossy (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
98	francois (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
99	friedmar brendel (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
100	ftamminga (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
101	g braad (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
102	gadacz (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
103	gardanus (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
104	gbcausa (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
105	gbz (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
106	georges (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
107	gerard.laine (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
108	giridhar (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
109	gitaarfreak (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
110	goa103 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
111	goldfinger (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
112	gorWik (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
113	grovo (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
114	grstaib (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
115	guaca (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
116	gue (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
117	guillermolanda (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
118	harobed (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
119	heho (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
120	helm (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
121	henryII (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
122	hersson (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
123	hildebrandowl (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
124	hippietrail (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
125	hjo-b (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
126	hpots (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
127	ibbebergman (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
128	icq628 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
129	idefix (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
130	jack the shark (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
131	jandd (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
132	jdved (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
133	jl.lesieur (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
134	jmspaggi (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
135	joachim karner (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
136	jochem (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
137	johncapistrano (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
138	johnny (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
139	jojo512 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
140	joni (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
141	jot (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
142	joterr (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
143	jrm (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
144	jrom (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
145	jsamp (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
146	juletine (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
147	juliasaatmann (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
148	jupo (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
149	juza (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
150	jvano (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
151	jørgen (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
152	k.lauer (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
153	kamerlings (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
154	karga (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
155	keidor (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
156	kjeker (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
157	konqi (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
158	kornelis (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
159	krischik (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
160	kst01 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
161	kurt15 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
162	kuschti (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
163	kutay (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
164	kwlorenz (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
165	langec (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
166	lena (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
167	lepat (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
168	libelula (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
169	logarno (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
170	lucemferens (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
171	ludiel (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
172	luna (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
173	lupita lopez (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
174	mac (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
175	maikbirte (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
176	manfred@mmoser.de (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
177	mar10 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
178	marcaran (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
179	maria jose (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
180	marianocecowski (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
181	maurooo (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
182	mechasser (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
183	mgautrelet (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
184	michaelsy (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
185	miglincit (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
186	mijobe (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
187	mike (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
188	misterfred (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
189	mmoster (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
190	morkalavin (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
191	mosaic700 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
192	moua (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
193	mover (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
194	moyogo (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
195	mrotta (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
196	mue (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
197	murphy1966 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
198	méli (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
199	nallebrean (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
200	neo1203 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
201	nessie (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
202	nils (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
203	nixkost (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
204	nnh (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
205	noreea (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
206	notafish (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
207	nourse (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
208	nudL (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
209	oimoim (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
210	ol (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
211	olav.mueller (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
212	oliezekat (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
213	olivierb (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
214	olrick (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
215	orifiel (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
216	orobert (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
217	panther751 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
218	papatouille (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
219	papphut (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
220	pascalv (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
221	pasquetm (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
222	paula (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
223	pefferminz (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
224	phe (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
225	pillese (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
226	piolinfax (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
227	piranhase (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
228	piti (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
229	pittyfusionblack (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
230	poniol60 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
231	psi (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
232	pulsar (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
233	pyxos (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
234	rackham (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
235	rb-lf (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
236	revolutioninme (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
237	riccardo (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
238	richard (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
239	rickski (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
240	riot (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
241	rl (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
242	robeere (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
243	rodonea (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
244	rodrigue (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
245	rougier christophe (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
246	rp (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
247	rpawlicki (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
248	rubi tulip (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
249	rue (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
250	sadybou (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
251	sanbec (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
252	sancho (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
253	savec91 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
254	schuppi (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
255	sdv (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
256	seb.froh (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
257	sei (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
258	setarkos1 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
259	setschi (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
260	shaihulud (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
261	shannon (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
262	shefk (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
263	shortszene (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
264	simon (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
265	sirus (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
266	slord (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
267	smarri (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
268	socket (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
269	softssa (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
270	sono (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
271	special (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
272	spitzl (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
273	sschuepfer (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
274	ste281 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
275	stegmueller (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
276	steiner (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
277	stephanie.moussaoui (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
278	stretching (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
279	stundenblume (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
280	superdorine (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
281	supermike (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
282	sybilla (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
283	t holz (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
284	talkuvit (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
285	tatjana mru (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
286	thierry@marchand-lapointe.com (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
287	thomas von weit oben (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
288	tieno (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
289	tim (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
290	timdietz (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
291	tithouan (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
292	tommybart2000 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
293	toratora (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
294	totalQM (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
295	trauma (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
296	trillotj (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
297	tsca (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
298	tux3 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
299	upperclass (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
300	uz (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
301	vanGore (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
302	versgui (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
303	vijaythakur (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
304	vincent.vanderberck (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
305	voglerh (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
306	vrykolaka (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
307	vulkan (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
308	webe (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
309	weiner@atlas.cz (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
310	wico76 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
311	winzkling (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
312	wolfgang1018 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
313	wolfgangvonfreeden (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
314	wotan (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
315	wpopp (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
316	wwwtoppointdelutz (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
317	x-x5198 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
318	xmlizer (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
319	yann (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
320	yolgie (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
321	youssefsan (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
322	zlatko (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
323	zuirdj (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
324	[[Special:CentralAuth/{FoM}Gurkbuster\|{FoM}Gurkbuster]] (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
325	[[Special:CentralAuth/}{mpf\|}{mpf]] (unattached or doesn't exist locally)

Related Objects
Search...

Status	Subtype	Assigned	Task
Open		None	T14581 @ (at-sign) needs to be totally invalid for usernames
Open	PRODUCTION ERROR	None	T401212 WMF wikis CentralAuth database tables have rows for invalid username "Nr: 135"
Open		None	T160296 Rename global users with invalid characters on their usernames

Event Timeline

MarcoAurelio created this task.Mar 12 2017, 7:28 PM

Restricted Application added a subscriber: Aklapper. · View Herald TranscriptMar 12 2017, 7:28 PM

MarcoAurelio triaged this task as Medium priority.Mar 12 2017, 7:28 PM

MarcoAurelio updated the task description. (Show Details)Mar 12 2017, 7:31 PM

Well, it goes far beyond what I thought. If we search for "a" then the list is bigger. I'll update the paste.

MarcoAurelio updated the task description. (Show Details)Mar 12 2017, 7:45 PM

MarcoAurelio mentioned this in T147915: Error when deleting empty global accounts.

милена (unattached or doesn't exist locally)

On this page there are two which link to [[Special:CentralAuth/]]: https://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:GlobalUsers/%E1%B8%81&offset=%E1%BD%99%CF%80%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%AE%CF%86%CE%B1%CE%BD%CE%BF%CF%82+%E1%BF%AC%CF%89%CE%BC%CE%B1%E1%BF%96%CE%BF%CF%82 and one which does not link anywhere

<globaluser id="32311475" name="                " />
<globaluser id="32311476" name=" " />
<globaluser id="27367943" name="‍" />

as the link will outdate probably.

<globaluser id="32311477" name="‪‪" />
<globaluser id="32311478" name="‪‪‪" />

Then of

<globaluser id="38039199" name="‮" />
<globaluser id="27368904" name="‮Romeo" />
<globaluser id="27368905" name="‮Tiewtew‭" />
<globaluser id="16873304" name="‮iv‭" />
<globaluser id="38039200" name="‮iv‮" />
<globaluser id="32311479" name="‮‮‮‮‮‮‮‮" />

some give link, some not, but both in API and in normal interface they mess up with direction badly

(I have to check what was initially written here)

More found today:

[[Special:CentralAuth/������������������������������|������������������������������]] (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
[[Special:CentralAuth/�¦|�¦]] (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
[[Special:CentralAuth/�Zipfiddle|�Zipfiddle]] (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
[[Special:CentralAuth/�Vizpiddle|�Vizpiddle]] (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
[[Special:CentralAuth/�Slicklick|�Slicklick]] (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
[[Special:CentralAuth/�Nuckydoo|�Nuckydoo]] (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
[[Special:CentralAuth/�Major A|�Major A]] (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
[[Special:CentralAuth/�Kibo|�Kibo]] (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
[[Special:CentralAuth/�Grunger|�Grunger]] (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
[[Special:CentralAuth/�DougHoales|�DougHoales]] (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
[[Special:CentralAuth/�Bung|�Bung]] (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
[[Special:CentralAuth/�Bugblatter|�Bugblatter]] (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
[[Special:CentralAuth/�Aguilator|�Aguilator]] (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
[[Special:CentralAuth/�|�]] (unattached or doesn't exist locally)

although https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAuth/%EF%BE%A0%EF%BE%A0%EF%BE%A0%EF%BE%A0%EF%BE%A0%EF%BE%A0%EF%BE%A0%EF%BE%A0%EF%BE%A0 was the weirdest one.

There are also some with weird characters such as:

🇺🇸 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
𝜆 (exists locally)
𝛥 (exists locally)
𝖽𝖾𝗋 𝗋𝖾𝗓𝗂𝗉𝖾𝗇𝗍 (exists locally)
𝖭𝖾𝗏𝗓𝖺𝗍 (exists locally)
𝖤𝖤𝖤𝖤𝖤𝖴𝖥𝖥𝖥 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
𝖅𝖚𝖐𝖆𝖌𝖔𝖎 𝕬. (exists locally)
𝕹𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖔𝖗 (locked, exists locally)
𝕮𝖗𝖚𝖘𝖆𝖉𝖊𝖗 (exists locally)
𝕬𝖉𝖔𝖑𝖋 𝕳𝖎𝖊𝖉𝖑𝖊𝖗 (exists locally)
𝕬.𝖅𝖚𝖐𝖆𝖌𝖔𝖎 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)

𝕀𝓓𝒆𝓳𝓪𝓿𝓊𝕀 (exists locally)
𝔾𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕒𝕝𝕗 𝕕𝕖𝕣 𝔾𝕣𝕪𝕟𝕖 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
𝔹𝔸𝔹𝔸𝔹𝕀𝕋𝔸 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
𝔊𝔯𝔞𝔡𝔷𝔢𝔦𝔠𝔥𝔢𝔫 (exists locally)
𝔊 (exists locally)
𝔇𝔦𝔠𝔢 𝔏𝔏𝔐 (exists locally)
𝓼 (exists locally)
𝓢𝓮𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓷𝓵𝓮𝓮𝓻𝓶𝓪𝓬𝓱𝓮𝓻 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
𝓙𝓽𝓽𝓲 (exists locally)
𝓔𝓷𝓽𝓵𝓮𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓻 𝓔𝓷𝓽𝓵𝓮𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓻 (exists locally)
𝓓𝓮𝓻 𝓢𝓮𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓷𝓵𝓮𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓻 (exists locally)
𝐴𝑟𝑛𝑜𝑙𝑑 𝑍𝑢𝑘𝑎𝑔𝑜𝑖 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
𝐊𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐤𝐢 (exists locally)
𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐡 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐄𝐊𝐁𝐎𝐊 (unattached or doesn't exist locally)

TerraCodes subscribed.Aug 2 2017, 3:36 AM

Restricted Application added a project: User-MarcoAurelio. · View Herald TranscriptAug 2 2017, 3:36 AM

MarcoAurelio moved this task from unsorted/backlog to radar on the User-MarcoAurelio board.Aug 2 2017, 10:59 AM

MarcoAurelio mentioned this in T180851: CentralAuth database has usernames starting with lowercase characters.Nov 17 2017, 10:17 PM

We have a lot of bugged accounts like that. Some with special symbols may not be able to log in at all. Personally I would remove them since they can not be used at all due to system limitations.

Liuxinyu970226 subscribed.Feb 25 2018, 2:11 PM

MarcoAurelio removed a project: User-MarcoAurelio.Aug 19 2018, 9:51 AM

Liuxinyu970226 unsubscribed.Aug 19 2018, 10:36 AM

I noticed on eswiki a couple of usernames that contained an @ on their usernames, so I decided to dig a bit: https://quarry.wmflabs.org/query/32380

MarcoAurelio renamed this task from More invalid usernames to Rename global users with invalid characters on their usernames.Dec 30 2018, 10:07 PM

MarcoAurelio added a project: WMF-General-or-Unknown.

Also (and displays as broken as below on Special:GlobalUsers):

[[Special:CentralAuth/~~~|~~~]] (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
[[Special:CentralAuth/~~~Flo~~~|~~~Flo~~~]] (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
[[Special:CentralAuth/~~~~|~~~~]] (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
[[Special:CentralAuth/~~~~~|~~~~~]] (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
[[Special:CentralAuth/~~~~~~|~~~~~~]] (unattached or doesn't exist locally)
[[Special:CentralAuth/~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~]] (unattached or doesn't exist locally)

https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAuth/_59.86.41.24 is also listed in GlobalUsers but its broken.

Similarly an account whitespace (_) exists but leads to https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAuth/ which is also broken.

Someone has to actually run rename queries, I am not sure if Operations is the right choice but hopefully some hints are made.

I think that is done by DBAs and not Operations (someone correct me if I'm wrong)

No, that's not run by us, DBAs.
Maybe @Legoktm can help up?

MarcoAurelio mentioned this in T246815: "Ghost" accounts in Special:GlobalUsers.Mar 3 2020, 7:05 PM

There are 40941 global users with an @ in their username.

MariaDB [centralauth_p]> select count(*) from globaluser where gu_name like "%@%";
+----------+
| count(*) |
+----------+
|    40941 |
+----------+
1 row in set (52.99 sec)

MariaDB [centralauth_p]>

I think the number of users with invalid usernames is quite big.

Adding @sguebo_WMF.

Per T308159 and regarding accounts with potential PII on it (e.g. accounts with an that are email addresses) renaming them is probably not a good option, as it'll leave traces on the page move logs, the global rename log and the local user rename logs of every wiki the account is registered, unless you can create a method to do so silently. If they've not editted anywhere (no local/global edits) another option would be to globally suppress these via the CentralAuth lock+suppress option. If the number of accounts to be suppressed is too big, maybe this shouldn't be done via the web interface but using a maintenance script.

Accounts with edits or log actions should perhaps be renamed silently (no public traces) if that's possible, to avoid breaking authorships or leaving the DB in an inconsistent status.

For accounts with invalid usernames without possible PII, a server-side maintenance script can be run and globally rename these as it happened e.g. on T5507 or T219279.

In T160296#7400626, @Zabe wrote:
There are 40941 global users with an @ in their username.
MariaDB [centralauth_p]> select count(*) from globaluser where gu_name like "%@%";
+----------+
| count(*) |
+----------+
|    40941 |
+----------+
1 row in set (52.99 sec)

MariaDB [centralauth_p]>
I think the number of users with invalid usernames is quite big.

Note such usernames will break BotPassword, see https://gerrit.wikimedia.org/r/plugins/gitiles/mediawiki/core/+/e78541e80ff2b906bfa6a500f78f40e6054f40b7/includes/user/BotPassword.php#444

Bugreporter added a parent task: T14581: @ (at-sign) needs to be totally invalid for usernames.Mar 3 2024, 3:22 PM

Bugreporter mentioned this in T214722: Introduce global system users.Jun 24 2024, 4:10 PM

matmarex mentioned this in T372880: User::isAllowed throws from CentralAuthUser when username contains colon.Aug 26 2024, 5:10 PM

Pppery awarded a token.Oct 20 2024, 10:14 PM

A_smart_kitten subscribed.Jan 1 2025, 5:21 PM

In T98757#1278404, @Glaisher wrote in May 2015:

[centralauth_p]> SELECT count(*) FROM `globaluser` WHERE gu_name LIKE '%:%';
+----------+
|    12315 |
+----------+

As of today, ten years later:

(centralauth)> SELECT count(*) FROM `globaluser` WHERE gu_name LIKE '%:%';
+----------+
|    12490 |
+----------+

Restricted Application added a project: MediaWiki-Platform-Team. · View Herald TranscriptDec 16 2025, 7:11 PM

Krinkle mentioned this in T401212: WMF wikis CentralAuth database tables have rows for invalid username "Nr: 135".Dec 16 2025, 7:15 PM

If they've not editted anywhere (no local/global edits) another option would be to globally suppress these via the CentralAuth lock+suppress option.

This leaves such user names as-is (even suppressed) which is not good since this may break maintanence scripts (e.g. T377588).

Dreamy_Jazz added a parent task: T401212: WMF wikis CentralAuth database tables have rows for invalid username "Nr: 135".Dec 17 2025, 10:39 AM

Chatted about this with @Urbanecm_WMF; the process would probably look like

send a talk page message to all affected accounts
maybe wait a bit so they can request a rename
notify stewards and global renamers (global-renamers@lists.wikimedia.org)
do the mass rename

The most annoying part of mass renaming is that users with no email / broken email have no way of finding out about it and so won't be able to log it. That seems fixable; filed T412981: Warn on failed login into renamed account about it.

FWIW the task covers two different groups of users:

those with usable but non-creatable names (including names with :)
those with invalid names (including names with : where the prefix matches a language name or a namespace alias)

Only renaming the second group would be less hassle since those are already unable to log in or use their accounts, so we probably don't need to worry about notifying them (would Echo notifications even work for an invalid user name?). But of course users will keep drifting from the first group to the second as new namespaces and languages are added, so that wouldn't be a permanent solution.

JTweed-WMF moved this task from Inbox, needs triage to Not planned / Patches welcome on the MediaWiki-Platform-Team board.Mon, Feb 9, 3:33 PM

Rename global users with invalid characters on their usernamesOpen, MediumPublicActions

Description

Related ObjectsSearch...

Event Timeline

Rename global users with invalid characters on their usernames
Open, MediumPublic
Actions

Related Objects
Search...