What just happened?
Earlier this week i reported that the server the site is on was hacked by a turkish group and files deleted. They requested a ransom via crypto to get it operational again. Restoring it back was pretty easy. It was my understanding that they had gotten through my server account, so password was changed.
On late thursday night, the came back in again and deleted the files and then trawled through configuration files and found the access to the website's database. The database essentially is everything that has ever been posted, contains all users account information etc. They deleted the database, and requested ransom again.
The site routinely contracts developers to help with development of new and existing functionality. An account was created specifically on the server to provide to these said developers who had enough previledges to do the work on the server if they needed. The person who we contract out to do security checked and found that they got in through that developer account. That account has now been deleted.
TLDR; The site was hacked.
What now?
In short, it pains me to say we will be starting from scratch. So users will need to create new accounts. All content that was on this site, may not be recoverable. And there is security issues if we just imported it all back in again if a suitable backup can be found. All content created by the community over the past 20 years is gone. A lot of work that has been put on the site visible and non visible has been wiped out.
How can we all help?
You can help by creating your accounts (as i see people doing right now) and creating the threads and discussing. I will work on creating structure again. So if you want to talk about Dean Bell or Mt Smart Stadium, please just create the thread for it for now. Theres a lot to still be setup but that can be managed.
Sorry guys.
Earlier this week i reported that the server the site is on was hacked by a turkish group and files deleted. They requested a ransom via crypto to get it operational again. Restoring it back was pretty easy. It was my understanding that they had gotten through my server account, so password was changed.
On late thursday night, the came back in again and deleted the files and then trawled through configuration files and found the access to the website's database. The database essentially is everything that has ever been posted, contains all users account information etc. They deleted the database, and requested ransom again.
The site routinely contracts developers to help with development of new and existing functionality. An account was created specifically on the server to provide to these said developers who had enough previledges to do the work on the server if they needed. The person who we contract out to do security checked and found that they got in through that developer account. That account has now been deleted.
TLDR; The site was hacked.
What now?
In short, it pains me to say we will be starting from scratch. So users will need to create new accounts. All content that was on this site, may not be recoverable. And there is security issues if we just imported it all back in again if a suitable backup can be found. All content created by the community over the past 20 years is gone. A lot of work that has been put on the site visible and non visible has been wiped out.
How can we all help?
You can help by creating your accounts (as i see people doing right now) and creating the threads and discussing. I will work on creating structure again. So if you want to talk about Dean Bell or Mt Smart Stadium, please just create the thread for it for now. Theres a lot to still be setup but that can be managed.
Sorry guys.
