Lizzie Borden Society Forum

This is an explanation as to why the forum was down for several days. I wasn't sure you all would see it if I didn't post the link here.

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=5592

Cheers,
Stefani

It tells me I'm authorized to read it :-(

Here is what it says:

The forum was offline for over two days while we worked nonstop to eliminate the code that was inserted into the family of websites at LizzieAndrewBorden.com. This includes this forum and we are sorry about that.

The attack was made in early December, but the scan that located the malware was done recently. The referral page that you were sent to is the service provider. It was for their protection that they took all the sites offline and reported the outage to me, providing me with details on which files were affected.

Once the code was eliminated and further scans done to insure we are malware free, we are back online. Steps have been taken to help insure that all the sites under LizzieAndrewBorden.com are safe from further attack.

None of you were affected personally, as the focus of this attack was to take control of the site, not to infect the users or their computers.

If you have ANY issues, please email the admin at lizzieandrewborden (at) mac.com.

Thank you.

Stefani Koorey
Administrator

Thank you, Stefani. To be truthful I thought at first it was a maintenance clean-up, as happens on Internet sites sometimes. It went on for a long time, however!

The two days the forum was down seemed to be a loooong time, but I'm glad we are up and running again. Thank you for the explanation, Stefani; you are the best!!!

Do you have any idea who or why? Or was this a random act of infection?

Also, I cannot move from the LAB Forum to Public Forum using the link at the upper left. The GO link at the lower right of the screen works just fine. I have no idea how to work this out.

I screwed up my ChromeBook Nov. 30. By the time I had a new computer in December I had trouble with this forum and commented here about what I call a white-out effect. I was never sure if it was me because there is a lot I don't know about computers, so I didn't pursue it. I have discussed my issues in depth with a friend from this forum. Most notable to me was the posts that were whited out, in the beginning anyway, were all on one person. Eventually most of the posts were whited out. I could at one time clear up the effect by clicking anywhere but toward the end most everything was unreadable.

I'm glad it's fixed.

I looked at all sorts of things tonight and made a few replies. I did note the white-out effect in only one place and noted so on that thread. Before this most everything had this appearance. I haven't made any changes to my computer nor to the way I operate it so I'm guessing the problem was not with me.

debbiediablo wrote:Do you have any idea who or why? Or was this a random act of infection?

Also, I cannot move from the LAB Forum to Public Forum using the link at the upper left. The GO link at the lower right of the screen works just fine. I have no idea how to work this out.

Strange. It works for me. Is it still an issue?

Websites using both HTML and PHP are always susceptible to attacks by malware and malicious files. Happens to everyone. The insertion of code into any website by someone other than the owner happens for lots of reasons, none of them make much sense in the long run. It is good to know where the vulnerabilities are and how to patch them to help make the site more secure. I always learn something from the experience. This attack, however, was quite extensive. It took a long time to ferret out the offending code.

Thanks everyone for being so patient and understanding.

Cheers,
Stefani

I can not tell a lie...

It was me who crashed the forum.

I discovered who killed the Bordens.

When I went to post the solution to this crime the system crashed.

It would not allow me do disclose the killer.

Sorry!

Adminlizzieborden wrote:

debbiediablo wrote:Do you have any idea who or why? Or was this a random act of infection?

Also, I cannot move from the LAB Forum to Public Forum using the link at the upper left. The GO link at the lower right of the screen works just fine. I have no idea how to work this out.

Strange. It works for me. Is it still an issue?

Websites using both HTML and PHP are always susceptible to attacks by malware and malicious files. Happens to everyone. The insertion of code into any website by someone other than the owner happens for lots of reasons, none of them make much sense in the long run. It is good to know where the vulnerabilities are and how to patch them to help make the site more secure. I always learn something from the experience. This attack, however, was quite extensive. It took a long time to ferret out the offending code.

Thanks everyone for being so patient and understanding.

Cheers,
Stefani

Yes, that link to Public Forum at the upper left still sends me to the PowWeb screen. Otherwise everything works well.

Spooky! Try again, mb, and let us see what happens! Maybe the spirits of Lizzie or Andrew or those children who play in the Borden B and B are trying to get in touch?

MB, shame on you for crashing the forum!!! Two days of not being able to hack away at the Borden Murders was pure torture! You are . If you do that again, we are going to you!!! It's a good thing we love you, isn't it?

debbiediablo wrote: Yes, that link to Public Forum at the upper left still sends me to the PowWeb screen. Otherwise everything works well.

Try this: click on the link then when you get sent to Powweb, hit refresh a few times and see if it works then..... It could be a URL referral stuck in your cache.

The Borden forum crashed last week,
Suppressed the answers we all seek;
Malware Liz hacking from the dead?
Or was it someone else instead?

David, Morse, Billy, Dr. Bowen,
Emma, hitman or perp unknown?
We don't care what, who, why or how,
Mb's answer - we want it now!

debbiedoggerel

debbiediablo wrote:The Borden forum crashed last week,
Suppressed the answers we all seek;
Malware Liz hacking from the dead?
Or was it someone else instead?

David, Morse, Billy, Dr. Bowen,
Emma, hitman or perp unknown?
We don't care what, who, why or how,
Mb's answer - we want it now!

debbiedoggerel

Debbie, you have a talent for creating poems that are fantastic!

debbiediablo wrote:The Borden forum crashed last week,
Suppressed the answers we all seek;
Malware Liz hacking from the dead?
Or was it someone else instead?

David, Morse, Billy, Dr. Bowen,
Emma, hitman or perp unknown?
We don't care what, who, why or how,
Mb's answer - we want it now!

debbiedoggerel

SO FUNNY!

They (the dear departed) are reading your poem as we speak, debbie! You've done it now!! Come on, mb, tell us!

Adminlizzieborden wrote:

debbiediablo wrote: Yes, that link to Public Forum at the upper left still sends me to the PowWeb screen. Otherwise everything works well.

Try this: click on the link then when you get sent to Powweb, hit refresh a few times and see if it works then..... It could be a URL referral stuck in your cache.

Cache cleared. Link functional. Thank you!

I figure the forum got whacked...I mean hacked. Didn't know it was by a ghost. Was it the guy who threw the hatchet on Crowe's barn roof? We were getting close to figuring out answers on that one.

And so it happened AGAIN! This time I paid extra to have daily scans done and all malicious files removed automatically. This should help insure the safety of the site.

Sorry for the problem.

Cheers,
Stefani

Thanks, Stefani!

Does it have something to do with some government Twitter account or some other such thing being hacked into? I don't keep up with the news in that manner but my husband mentioned something got hacked (it was after that when I tried to get on and couldn't).

It is my understanding this is done by hackers in the eastern block countries. They have lots of time on their hands and hack for the fun of it. They are very good at it, it seems. They exploit vulnerabilities and actually help to make things more secure in the long run.

Thank you, Stefani. I'm sorry to hear you had to pay extra to have daily scans done and all malicious files removed automatically. But, I'm glad to know this should help insure the safety of the site.

I've always wondered why hackers enjoy hacking web sites. They really need to get a life!

Hackers who do it for fun remind me of the rotten kids who used to walk up and down the streets at night, putting sugar in gas tanks. Just trying to do damage to get attention.