PC Pals Forum

Forum Information & Policies => Forum News & Announcements => Topic started by: Clive on January 03, 2011, 22:50

Title: We are back!
Post by: Clive on January 03, 2011, 22:50
Apologies to all those who have attempted to access the forum during the past day or so but the server on which Pals is hosted was hacked and the forum trashed.  We are very grateful to Sam and Simon who have done an enormous amount of work to get us back up and running.  Thanks also to Rik and the staff at IDNet who have worked tirelessly behind the scenes during this time.   :welldone: guys! 
Title: Re: We are back!
Post by: Simon on January 03, 2011, 22:59
Just to add, the server on which PC Pals is hosted, is shared with several other sites, and the hackers effectively took all the sites on the server down. For obvious reasons, we can't go into detail about the exact nature of the hack.

The forum is now hosted on a new server, with extra levels of security, and a similar hack should not be possible in the future.  I would also like to echo Clive's thanks to Martin at IDNet who has worked over his Christmas break to get us back online.

We can tell you that the main database was not tampered with by the hackers, but for safety's sake, it was replaced by a backup taken just before the hack.  Similarly, no personal details were compromised, eg email addresses or passwords, but for peace of mind, you may wish to change your forum password.

The hack was not aimed at the forum, and did not occur through the forum. Instead, poor security on one of the other sites which shared the server with us allowed the hackers to take control.

Over the coming week or so, we shall be working to re-instate the forum fully - IDNet's backup wasn't current for the forum software, but we shall try to carry out any maintenance with minimal disruption to normal service.

Thanks for your understanding - we hope you haven't missed us too much!   :blush:
Title: Re: We are back!
Post by: GillE on January 04, 2011, 07:37
It's good to have everything up and running again.  Thank you to everyone concerned.

:thanks:
Title: Re: We are back!
Post by: Delgado on January 04, 2011, 10:02
Thanks Guys for the work involved in getting the forum back up. I missed the forum a lot. I think its important that members are told to re-instal the forum in their favorits, as my link still does not work, and I only found you again by Googling.


 :thumbs: :thumbs:
Title: Re: We are back!
Post by: Simon on January 04, 2011, 10:09
That's curious, as I've had someone else say that too.  My favourites link worked fine without change.  :dunno:

Sorry, DG, I didn't have your email address, otherwise I would have informed you of the issue. 
Title: Re: We are back!
Post by: cavillas on January 04, 2011, 10:14
I hate hackers, they are despicable creatures who have no respect for other people.  They are only interested in their own machinations.  I hate them all and there is no excuse for their actions at all. >:(
Title: Re: We are back!
Post by: GillE on January 04, 2011, 10:17
I hate hackers, they are despicable creatures who have no respect for other people.  They are only interested in their own machinations.  I hate them all and there is no excuse for their actions at all. >:(
:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
Title: Re: We are back!
Post by: Simon on January 04, 2011, 11:25
Well, they have got us on to a nice new server.  ;)
Title: Re: We are back!
Post by: Rik on January 04, 2011, 11:30
With lost of new toys for us to break things with. ;D
Title: Re: We are back!
Post by: sam on January 04, 2011, 19:43
Thanks Guys for the work involved in getting the forum back up. I missed the forum a lot. I think its important that members are told to re-instal the forum in their favorits, as my link still does not work, and I only found you again by Googling.


 :thumbs: :thumbs:

did you go by pc-pals.com/forum/ by any chance? I had a redirect setup on the old server, can re-apply that.
Title: Re: We are back!
Post by: Rodders on January 05, 2011, 00:13
A redirect would be useful IMHO Sam.  I'd also be inclined to set a short delay before the jump, during which a brief message might be displayed to the effect that the user is being forwarded to the correct URL because they're using an out of date one.  Please bookmark the following page, la la la...
Title: Re: We are back!
Post by: Simon on January 05, 2011, 00:42
Glad you made it back in, Rod.  Believe it or not, I think the URL has been as it currently is for about three years!  ;D  I believe Sam is going to reinstate the redirect at his next opportunity. 
Title: Re: We are back!
Post by: Rodders on January 05, 2011, 01:28
Best Practice actually dictates there should be a redirect to the Index page in pretty much every directory, but I'm not the one tearing my hair out on this occasion so I'll shut up now.


NB.  It should be noted that, once again, I've just been prevented from posting because it contains a link that points to an externally-hosted (Photobucket) smiley.  [Previewed] post now edited and resubmitted.  Extremely annoying.
Title: Re: We are back!
Post by: Simon on January 05, 2011, 09:39
I don't get that, Rod.  The spam black list mod that was causing this before has been removed.  What was the error message you received?
Title: Re: We are back!
Post by: Delgado on January 05, 2011, 11:09
did you go by pc-pals.com/forum/ by any chance? I had a redirect setup on the old server, can re-apply that.

Yes thats the one that didnt work Sam
Title: Re: We are back!
Post by: sam on January 05, 2011, 11:53
I've now reinstated that redirect.
Title: Re: We are back!
Post by: Simon on January 05, 2011, 11:59
:thumb:
Title: Re: We are back!
Post by: Delgado on January 05, 2011, 22:20
Thanks Sam

 :thumbs:
Title: Re: We are back!
Post by: mistybear on January 07, 2011, 09:22
I didn't notice a thing. Oh, I just checked, it happened in between visits.

But well done guys.  :thumb:


Are you sure you didn't share the same server as Wikileaks?  ;D
Title: Re: We are back!
Post by: Simon on January 07, 2011, 09:47
Oh, we have more secrets here than Wikileaks.  :leer:
Title: Re: We are back!
Post by: sam on January 07, 2011, 09:53
especially about sheep.
Title: Re: We are back!
Post by: Rik on January 07, 2011, 09:54
 :laugh:
Title: Re: We are back!
Post by: Simon on January 07, 2011, 10:12
:)x
Title: Re: We are back!
Post by: Clive on January 07, 2011, 16:54
 :sheeplove:
Title: Re: We are back!
Post by: mistybear on January 08, 2011, 09:38
Oh, we have more secrets here than Wikileaks.  :leer:

Oh, do tell.

especially about sheep.

Not you too Sam......  I think you have spent way too much time with Clive.

:sheeplove:

 :naughty:  :splat:
Title: Re: We are back!
Post by: Clive on January 08, 2011, 11:11
 :smirks:
Title: Re: We are back!
Post by: Simon on January 08, 2011, 14:27
 :arf: