WWC Hacked?

[isoaker_com]

WWc is pulling up a SQL error that looks rather suspicious.

SQL ERROR [ mysqli ]

Table 'zbhniqtj_waterwarfarecom.phpbb3_config' doesn't exist [1146]

An sql error occurred while fetching this page. Please contact an administrator if this problem persists.

Board isn't loading, either. Thoughts?

[Silence]

2600 results for "this Google query...but they're all the index pages for various forums, not people asking how to fix it. o:

I would just make sure the database is okay before sniffing for intruders.

[Ben]

As far as I know I was never given adequate access to fix this problem. We'll have to wait for Lewis to pop in.

It might be a hack. Either way, I hope backups were kept, and the timing is unfortunate.

[DX]

It's definitely a hack. I knew something was wrong when it said that because it's a legit table. Whole DB is gone except one table. I have a fairly recent backup, but I have to test importing another backup for another forum first just to see what it's like. I don't know that much about how SQL works really.

I'm willing to bet they got in not from WWc, but from one of the older forums I had lying around from other things. Old forums aren't monitored and hackers search for those things. I'm removing all forums not in use, which is basically everything except GAoM and WWc. Backups will also be made more frequently, like every other day.

All admins for WWc will get FTP once I figure out how to limit accounts to just WWc. I tried this with GAoM and it gave them the whole server.

[Silence]

Good to hear you have backups, and it's fortunate the forums there haven't really been active recently.

All admins for WWc will get FTP once I figure out how to limit accounts to just WWc. I tried this with GAoM and it gave them the whole server.

Ask Solid Internet to create a new account to FTP/SFTP/SSH in with – setting group permissions or Access Control Lists should work from there. This probably isn't the only way, though.

[DX]

WWc restored. Anyone who joined after M4 needs to register again though.

This does bring up an issue about the forum though. If they did get in through WWc, then it has got to be updated. I tried this before and it failed to go from 3.0.0 to 3.0.5. Normally updating would be easy, 1 version to the next, but since WWc fell into disuse for so long, several versions went by. They don't make installers that go from the original 3 to the newest.

Here's what I'm thinking about: starting WWc fresh. Install the latest version with a new forum, database all to itself, with active members registering so there is no rust lying around, etc. We have the old data, it can easily be reused if needed. Honestly there's not much there except nostalgia - I mean my posts made up more than half the wars section. A new forum also would look more attractive to new members - less to read and get confused about, more inclusive since no one's established.

But WWc is everyone's place. Thoughts on starting a fresh copy vs reusing what we have?

[Silence]

A new forum is fine with me, especially since there's, I don't know, a discontinuity between the old discussions and the potential new ones. It's almost like having separate forums in the first place.

That said, I'd suggest doing it only if/when the other boards close down. Otherwise, even if there's only some months gap until then, it'd still be like trying to repopulate a ghost town.

[C-A_99]

I'm in for whatever works best. Worst case scenario is that the old stuff needs to get archived, but a lot of stuff there can be re-posted. (common stuff like ubiquitious armory threads, etc.)

[isoaker_com]

Good to see the board back up and running! I'm open to whatever solution works best for the long run (i.e. fresh install or trying to patch the current version).

[marauder_4]

New board works for me.