8 replies to this topic

[Diego]

Yesterday evening (Central European time) the website was put offline for almost two hours, because we had another hackers' attack. Fortunately, it didn't cause any major damage, but we're quite exhausted... We're fighting spammers, hackers and malicious users every day, and sometimes we are wondering if running a 2-people project like this really has a meaning nowadays.  

[Anew]

It has meaning.

[shiny]

I agree with Anew, the world of prehistory would be a lot bleaker without the effort you both put into this website.

shiny.

[Diego]

Dear Anew and Shiny,
Thank you so much for your kind words. We didn't start this thread as a captatio benevolentiae, that is, we are not looking for encouragement (even if we appreciate it!).

The problem we are facing is that our website, our free weekly newsletter and this forum are being constantly threatened, damaged, annoyed, blocked by a series of xxxx (put your favourite 4-letter word here) that are giving us a lot of problems. A few months ago they hacked this forum, forcing us to buy the full version with increased security measures; then they hacked our MegaLinks section, and we succeded in putting it back online only after many weeks. Then they damaged our Shop section, that is still offline (OS Commerce experts willing to help are very welcome). Then they blocked our weekly newsletter, reporting to a series of major ISPs that it was SPAM. Then they found a way to flood this forum with spam messages - today we deleted 11 users and banned their IP addresses.

As you can imagine, we have to earn for a living and with two small children at home we simply cannot spend 1-2 hours every day just to clean the mess other malicious people is doing. We are quite exhausted and we are trying to put everything in perspective, so to see if we can find a viable solution for the long term.

In any case, thanks again for your support!

[Pete G]

I think you need to set up a few moderators with the power to delete these spam posts.
It would also help that any new members get approved before they can post.
PeteG

[Diego]

Pete G, on 1 December 2006, 23:43, said:

I think you need to set up a few moderators with the power to delete these spam posts.

OK - thanks for the suggestion. So, expert and longtime users willing to help us may send a message to diego at stonepages.com.

[Anew]

Diego, on 3 December 2006, 5:58, said:

Pete G, on 1 December 2006, 23:43, said:

I think you need to set up a few moderators with the power to delete these spam posts.

OK - thanks for the suggestion. So, expert and longtime users willing to help us may send a message to diego at stonepages.com.

You might want to archive deleted/edited posts, and give those affected some form of appeal.  People don't all, or always, get along; and powers of enforcement are also subject to abuse.

[Pete G]

Anew, on 3 December 2006, 11:13, said:

You might want to archive deleted/edited posts, and give those affected some form of appeal.  People don't all, or always, get along; and powers of enforcement are also subject to abuse.

Conversations will be let alone.
Its the Viagra type spam adverts that need to taken off quickly.
Hopefully this will dicourage the spammers from posting several times a day.
PeteG

[crespowu]

I really hate those hackers.