Due to decreasing use over the years, I have decided to disable the forum functionality of the site.

Forums will still be available to view but new posts are no longer allowed.

Blackhat SEO hack

Daylene Alford December 05, 2010 February 22, 2011

Forums

The board has been hacked a couple of times recently. I've made changes that hopefully will eliminate the problem, but if you get an error from your virus program on entering any pages on the website (not just the forum) please let me know right away. Please send me a PM with the page(s) where the error occured and the exact error or warning message you received. Like I said hopefully the changes I've made has stopped them but if not I need to know right away to make further changes. Thanks everyone, Daylene

Third Peppermint Sun, 12/05/2010 - 16:54

Everyone should make double sure that the password they use for this forum is not the same one they use anywhere else. Honestly, all your passwords should be different.

If it is or you are in doubt change all of your passwords immediately! Hacking forums like this is how people steal passwords for getting into paypal and other places to take your $$$$$$.

Danni Sun, 12/05/2010 - 16:57

Oh I had wondered about that! I've been meaning to ask you. Yes I've been getting my virus software blocking the blackhat thing on nearly all the sub forums here, so second level after the index. Not today though, so must be fixed!

Daylene Alford Sun, 12/05/2010 - 17:17

What virus software do you guys use? Because the one I use currently doesn't warn me about web pages and its supposed to be an internet security suite.

Danni Sun, 12/05/2010 - 18:09

Yeh I think mine was AVG too, I have the free AVG on, as well as Microsoft Forefront. But I think the warning was from AVG, seeing it said it was blocked I didn't worry too much. Plus I could find much info on the Blackhat.

rabbitsfizz Mon, 12/06/2010 - 09:54

I use the free AVG and I have been getting the warnings for some time, I did let you know? Anyway, they are gone now, so I assume it is OK. I do not use a password, well, I did, originally, but I am logged in automatically. I do not use Paypal or anything like it, and if I did I would use a different password for that, alone, all my other sites have just one password as I have enough trouble remembering that one alone!!

Daylene Alford Mon, 12/06/2010 - 10:01

From just looking through the code that was inserted into the pages, it doesn't appear there was anything to steal passwords. They appeared to be advertising links most likely to increase search engine ranking. They where placed on forum pages that you would enter after you've already signed in but I agree its better safe than sorry.

rodeoratdogs Mon, 12/06/2010 - 10:26

My AVG isn't the free one, we bought the 2 year one when we got our laptop, but it hasn't blocked anything since you posted, so you must of fixed it.

NZ Appaloosas Tue, 12/07/2010 - 16:17

I use free-av.com, been using it probably 10 years now, and haven't had any problems at all. It does warn about website viruses as well; the biggest "caveat" is to make sure that you update regularly (mine is done daily) and run a deep scan regularly (weekly, Saturday mornings at like 1:30 or such, while I sleep). Love it, highly recommend it, and yes, I use the free version :-D

Diane