Website woes
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    I know that I am not the only one around here who runs their own blog or website (or several websites).
    For those of you who manage your own site/blog, a public service announcement:
    Please make sure your CMS software (WordPress, Drupal, a wiki engine, whatever...) is UP TO DATE!
    I run dozens of websites, and EVERY SINGLE ONE is down right now, because I did not keep up with software updates to WordPress.
    Someone hacked a site that I don't even use (an abandoned project that I never uninstalled or upgraded), and now Bluehost (my hosting provider) has "temporarily deactivated" my account.
    I've talked to BH, and they've reinstated me (as of this minute, I still can't see any of my sites) but now I have to go plea at the feet of Google to clear my good name.
    Hoorah.

    Oh- here's another hint:
    If you have abandoned domains with installed software (that WordPress blog you started, and haven't looked at in a year)-
    DO NOT go visit that site. Uninstall or upgrade the CMS from SImpleScripts or Fantastico (however you did it in the first place) BEFORE visiting the site- especially if you use Google Chrome.
    The hacked site on my account lay dormant until yesterday, when I happened to visit randomly. Google Chrome gave it the Red Screen of Death, and my browser betrayed me to the Googleian Overlords. I'm sure I would have been blissfully unaware of the sleeping infection had I not visited the site with a Google product.


    So, the moral of the story is:
    Those of you who run websites (I think of a dozen off the top of my head), please remember to upgrade to the latest version of your CMS software. I know, I know- you're worried your plugins won't work. Believe me- solving THAT problem is much less stressful and time consuming.


    Now you know.
    And knowing is half the battle.


    We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    Update:

    So, once I got the malware taken care of, I have to deal with the fact that BH has become aware of my out-of-date software installs, which is apparently a TOS violation.
    I have 24 hours to correct this situation, or I'll lose everything (which is a lot).

    Seriously, folks: keep your software up to date.
  • St. Isidore of Seville, patron saint of the internet: Ora pro nobis.

    -M
  • Carl DCarl D
    Posts: 992
    Thanks for the kick, Adam! Yes, I've got several sites which have been ignored for too long...