Orange forum problem

[Mr Spyke]

Hi guys, forgive me if this isn't allowed but I know quite a few of the contributors on here are familiar with the orange forum and I haven't been able to access it through either the mobile app or browser!
Maybe I'm out of a special loop or something and hopefully I haven't been banned (no idea why if thats the case) but anyone else having the same issue?

Cheers Spyke

And again please don't shoot me if I'm not supposed to talk about it.

[DJDC]

I use 2 forums and the other one (orange) indeed has been absent. never mind new posts on here is actually working for the moment, or have I spoke too soon.

[djtrev]

Apparently it has been hacked and caused a considerable amount of damage.
They are hopeful that it will be able to return soon.

[chrisj]

Thanks for that Trev, I was wonderingwhat had happenned. I don'tknow a lot about these things, eer, computors, eer viruses and well you know but then maybe not. Oh dear what am I like?

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

It hasn't been hacked. Ownership has changed and it will be back under new ownership soon.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

Colin Cook did release a statement on facebook in the "Mobile DJ Network" group I believe.

[Mr Spyke]

Ah right, thanks for the update. Glad it isnt just me :)

[djtrev]

Apparently it has been hacked and caused a considerable amount of damage.
They are hopeful that it will be able to return soon.

My apologies if I have that wrong but that was the information I was given by email.It also confirmed that there would be new a new owner.

[sweetie]

I think Christoph's ego finally exploded and took the forum with it :) :) :)

[Wayno]

It hasn't been hacked. Ownership has changed and it will be back under new ownership soon.

My understanding of the situation is that the forum was indeed hacked and the database mashed...

...The owners couldn't be bothered to sort it so have sold it on - although as it is mashed there's not a lot of substance in the purchase unless it can of course be recovered....

[djtrev]

Would someone care to explain to an old duffer like me why someone would hack into the site and mash the database.
What would be the motive and the point.

[Wayno]

Would someone care to explain to an old duffer like me why someone would hack into the site and mash the database.
What would be the motive and the point.

Why do people murder?
Why do people steal?
Why is the sky black at night?
What is the point of life?

Give us one we can answer Trev!

Chances are it was just a bot/trojan/worm/malware/nasty that took advantage of the fact the IP board software had not been updated/maintained for god knows how long....

[DazzyD]

My understanding of the situation is that the forum was indeed hacked and the database mashed...

...The owners couldn't be bothered to sort it so have sold it on - although as it is mashed there's not a lot of substance in the purchase unless it can of course be recovered....

If this is indeed the case, then any responsible forum owner would take regular backups so recovering it would be easy. Finding and closing the loopholes that allowed the hackers in the first place would be the hard part.

I know absolutely nothing of this forum but I'd find it hard to believe that a forum owner would sell on their work just because of a hack attack. Unless the forum has been attacked regularly then it might just not be worth it anymore.

[djtrev]

Sorry Wayne I thought it was a reasonable straight foreward question.
I assumed it was an individual rather than a virus which as far as I am concerned still begs the question.Why?
Is it purely for mischief or is there a motive.What would an individual gain from 'hacking' a site.

[DazzyD]

Could be someone with a grudge. Could be someone who's bored and nothing better to do. Could be the case that it hasn't been hacked at all and it's just been sold on as the owner can't be bothered to maintain it anymore. Who knows?

[djtrev]

Why do people murder?Because of an intense dislike for somebody and a completely irrational response
Why do people steal?Possibly to obtain somethig that a person might not be able to afford or may even covet
Why is the sky black at night?Thats something to do with the sun and moon,which frankly I dont understand
What is the point of life?Not sure of the answer but for some people,sadly,no point

Give us one we can answer Trev!

Chances are it was just a bot/trojan/worm/malware/nasty that took advantage of the fact the IP board software had not been updated/maintained for god knows how long....

Just being flippant I'm afraid Wayne.I think I must be bored.

[djtrev]

I am led to believe that Colin is going to take the site on.

[Wayno]

It may not be a 'direct' attack on the MDJF alone - i.e the nasty in question was possibly trawling the web and attacked all websites with the relevant weaknesses - the nasty could conceivably be years old and just so happened to stumble on MDJF alongside tens if not hundreds of other sites - who knows!?!.

Some boy in manilla could have written it.
Some state sponsored department in china/russia/uzbekistan could have written it - who knows?!

All it takes is one pedantic/flippant/bored person and a keyboard ;-)

[mikeee]

I think someone put a banner up offering PLI at £19.99, and the response crashed the database. :D :D :D :D

[Steve the DJ]

Colin Cook did release a statement on facebook in the "Mobile DJ Network" group I believe.

He posted on the MDJF Facebook page, not that many people know it even exists...


Hi Guys - a few updates on the forum

Firstly - the problem. It seems that someone has either hacked or logged into the admin panel and deleted both the database and the latest backup. Paul at Valeway has been trying to restore an earlier backup but there appears to be some problems with accessing the account.

All of this is in hand but nothing will be done over the weekend as of course we are DJs and will be working!! I'll be into it Monday.

Secondly, prior to this happening Valeway had decided that due to other business commitments they simply didnt have the time available to give MDJF the attention and development it deserved and therefore they decided to sell the forum on.

Valeway didnt want to see the forum go to a purely commercial enterprise and have offered the ownership of the forum to me. I have accepted and am now the new owner of MDJF.

Having said that, with what has happened I'm not actually the owner of much unless it can be repaired and restored. Ian Forest has kindly offered to help me do this (thanks Ian) so fingers crossed after the weekend we can get everything back to normal.

My intentions with the forum are to continue with it's distinctive personality and to hopefully allow it to grow and evolve. I intend to make some investment into bringing it up to date and will be developing the forum advertising via banners - something which has existed for years but sadly not been developed.

The current staff team I hope will stay and we will also look to bring on some new staff members and move the forum on.

Any questions, just let me know.

Right, off to work.

Thanks to everyone for their support - I sincerely hope you will all continue as members of MDJF. Thanks to Valeway for their support, to the staff team and to Ian.

Colin

If it can't be fixed, jeff, groovindj and christoph will drive around the country meeting members and insulting them face to face so they don't feel left out... :D

[djtrev]

All it takes is one pedantic/flippant/bored person and a keyboard ;-)



I just realised what you did there.:clap:

[Wayno]

I thank you :)

But in all honesty sometimes that is all it takes for there plebs to do their thing.

[djtrev]

The bar stewards!!

[NKR]

He posted on the MDJF Facebook page, not that many people know it even exists...



If it can't be fixed, jeff, groovindj and christoph will drive around the country meeting members and insulting them face to face so they don't feel left out... :D

:D

[DJ Paulie]

If it can't be fixed, jeff, groovindj and christoph will drive around the country meeting members and insulting them face to face so they don't feel left out... :D

:rofl::laughup:

[ianforest]

So, in case you're not in the loop…

Colin now owns MDJF
MDJF is still stuffed

He's hoping to get it back online. When…he doesn't know.

[BossmanKaraokeDisco]

So, in case you're not in the loop…

Colin now owns MDJF
MDJF is still stuffed

He's hoping to get it back online. When…he doesn't know.

Looks like its all back up and running with just the loss of a few weeks recent postings from what I have read and can see.

:D :D