Curry Recipes Online

Curry Chat => Talk About Anything Other Than Curry => Topic started by: RubyDoo on November 16, 2012, 12:56 PM

Title: Has forum been hacked?
Post by: RubyDoo on November 16, 2012, 12:56 PM
Just come back from a break in NY of all places.
Logged onto the forum and it is splatted with spam type posts.
What has happened?
What is being done about it?
Title: Re: Has forum been hacked?
Post by: Naga on November 16, 2012, 01:04 PM
There's been a couple of threads raised about the issue already, mate, but frankly, there's little to be done about it until a Mod turns up to sort it.
Title: Re: Has forum been hacked?
Post by: RubyDoo on November 16, 2012, 01:06 PM
There's been a couple of threads raised about the issue already, mate, but frankly, there's little to be done about it until a Mod turns up to sort it.

OK  Ta.  Bring on the mods then and quick!!  ;D
Title: Re: Has forum been hacked?
Post by: Naga on November 16, 2012, 01:07 PM
I wouldn't hold my breath... :)
Title: Re: Has forum been hacked?
Post by: RubyDoo on November 16, 2012, 01:10 PM
I wouldn't hold my breath... :)

Understood. I'll go make some curry instead then!!
Title: Re: Has forum been hacked?
Post by: Malc. on November 16, 2012, 01:17 PM
There is over 240 posts so far and counting! I have sent an email to Admin, has anyone reported any of the posts? If a couple of posts have already been reported, it would be better for members to stop reporting them as the mods inbox will be hounded with reports otherwise.


Bloody spam! >:(
Title: Re: Has forum been hacked?
Post by: RubyDoo on November 16, 2012, 01:21 PM
Also noticed that the forum is unusually slow - VERY slow.
Title: Re: Has forum been hacked?
Post by: Malc. on November 16, 2012, 01:24 PM
Yes, that will be due to the increased traffic caused by the spam no doubt. >:(
Title: Re: Has forum been hacked?
Post by: jalfreziT on November 16, 2012, 02:24 PM
Also noticed that the forum is unusually slow - VERY slow.

Yup, I noticed this too. Sorry to say, but I was browsing recipes and it took so long to load them that I considered looking elsewhere. I came to post and that's where I found this thread.

I also moderate for another forum and we had some big problems with SPAM. It's a big forum. In the end we found the only solution was to introduce a system where firts posts needed to be approved by a moderator, rather than allowing free posting for anyone joining. This system has worked for us, and the admin workload has reduced hugely   :)
Title: Re: Has forum been hacked?
Post by: DalPuri on November 16, 2012, 02:32 PM
Just checked on another forum i frequent and there are 9 moderators online  ;)
Title: Re: Has forum been hacked?
Post by: Les on November 16, 2012, 03:25 PM
We don't want to show off, So we havent put any :)

Les
Title: Re: Has forum been hacked?
Post by: curryhell on November 16, 2012, 04:26 PM
Well, it's almost a year since the last time the forum was inundated with spam posts  >:( .  This attack seems more intense than the last.  Unfortuanately, with only one moderator plus Admin it may be a while before things are back to normal.  I pm'd Admin first thing this morning to make him aware and I'm sure George will do his best when he is logged on.  Time to adjourn to the kitchen I think :)
Title: Re: Has forum been hacked?
Post by: George on November 17, 2012, 02:58 PM
There is over 240 posts so far and counting! I have sent an email to Admin, has anyone reported any of the posts? If a couple of posts have already been reported, it would be better for members to stop reporting them as the mods inbox will be hounded with reports otherwise.

Thank you for your suggestion that everyone refrains from reporting any more of these spam messages. Please don't reply to any of them, either. It all creates more work. As I said on other threads, it's too big a problem for me to deal with. Getting rid of the spam needs global commands, like deleting each spammer and all their posts in one or two clicks. I can't do that.  I hope admin can. Then, as I suggested ages ago, it really needs pre-mod controls for new members and any dormant spammer who pops up, to allow me to put them on pre-mod status, so that the flow is stopped.

In the meantime, here are the IDs I have listed. More IDs are cropping up all the time. Previous access controls seem to have been thoroughly breached. Please list all spam IDS which you find on this thread, or send me a PM, to help Stew (admin) know who to delete:

AtmortOccut

Satsaftew

hoirmfoenNofe

Objerojes

cornNocky

wrolleava

irGrearryReaw

Heireninkhind

Korvgrillaren
Title: Re: Has forum been hacked?
Post by: sp on November 17, 2012, 04:15 PM
immarlcap
Title: Re: Has forum been hacked?
Post by: George on November 18, 2012, 09:00 PM
Update: I've been doing my best to keep many of the forum sections clear of spam, at intervals throughout the day, being those sections which fortunately receive less attention from the spammers. Other forum sections are a lost cause. One spam ID 'frurone' is currently posting messages at about 2 per minute. The only answer is to have the means to shut down each spam ID but we can't do that. I hope Admin comes back soon. I suggested that he deletes all new members which have suspicious-looking names, registered after about 15 Nov 2012. They really are making a mockery of any anti-spam measures which we thought we had.
Title: Re: Has forum been hacked?
Post by: curryhell on November 18, 2012, 10:18 PM
God knows how many ID haven't started to publish yet  :o :o :o :o
Keep up the good work George.