Arboristsite Hacked

[hunowie]

I hope they get it restored. I hate to think that a site could lose all the accumulated knowledge it gathered over the years.

+1

As for morons that destroy things, not so long ago hackers from Syria attacked and destroyed most of some fishing forum. I think most of the data was deleted and they left big sign calling to war aginst pagans >non muslim<.
I laughed then - why attack some fishing site.
Then again - why attack arborist site???

[thecfarm]

Because they can.  :

[Icehouse]

Sad to think things like this happen in this world just because they can.

[SawTroll]

Sad to think things like this happen in this world just because they can.

...but likely true!  :

Right now it is worse than ever - I can't even bypass the redirection, it comes back immediately.....

[JOE.G]

I try to visit the site and I keep getting redirected, Have they been hacked again?

[beenthere]

See the ongoing thread.
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,68879.msg1039939.html#msg1039939

[cello6996]

I keep getting some Cash for files website. called Link Bucks. This really sucks as I love the Arborist site! I sure hope they get it fix

[motard]

This is a temporary fix, you lose some access but you don't get hijacked.

This works on internet explorer,

http://answers.vt.edu/kb/entry/2083/

[Sunrise Guy]

It is very frustrating to get the darn redirect to the linkbucks site.  I cannot understand why the AS admin cannot clean up his server.  This has been going on for a good while, now.  I would think that any admin on a very popular board like AS would have access to top-shelf help in the event of a site hijacking.  Sadly, it seems that AS was totally unprepared for this.  I guess I'll give up, for now, until someone posts, in here, that the site is back up and running.  This forum seems like a friendly place so it's time to make new friends.

[angelo c]

So over there its all about "pie" here y'all eat grits ...????

Hi terry !!!

I saw nikko over in another post before...lots o friendlies here.

This has always been a friendly forum, as far as I know. 

Hey !!!
I guess you saw nikko too !!!!   :D

Looks likes things are not gonna be better for a while "over there"

[SawTroll]

This is a temporary fix, you lose some access but you don't get hijacked.

This works on internet explorer,

http://answers.vt.edu/kb/entry/2083/

That works, thanks!

[deerslayer]

Looks like it's broken again. Now it says it's being worked on and come back in 25 minutes. That message has been on there at least several hours.

[SawTroll]

Looks like it's broken again. Now it says it's being worked on and come back in 25 minutes. That message has been on there at least several hours.

Yes, but it is gone now - I can read on the site, but not do anything there, so it isn't much better..... :(

[Joe Kidd]

Looks like it's broken again. Now it says it's being worked on and come back in 25 minutes. That message has been on there at least several hours.

Yes, but it is gone now - I can read on the site, but not do anything there, so it isn't much better..... :(

Howdy ST, I'm wondering if we'll ever see a end to this BS. I also noticed I can "read, but not write" lol
On a side note, this Indian summer we're having in NC is keeping me out of the woods. I wanted to break-in the 2188 while on vacation, but at 87° the blood suckers are still terrible.

[Icehouse]

Just went to AS and was able to enter head on and make a post with no problem. Must have gotten things squared around, hope it sticks. All of my stuff looks like nothing was lost internally. Have a good evening.

[Icehouse]

Well that didn't last long they're working on it again, that's good right?

[sharkey]

Be careful logging in over there if you are not familiar with re-directs through Java-Script.  Since the problem continues, you could lose your log on info to some creep in a third world country who's next move is to try and empty your bank account.  If they have captured your email address, with your 'log on' and 'password' info, they will keep trying to get something else.   

Its good practice to never use the same password twice.  If you cant remember, put a note book beside your system and write your 'log on' data in the book. 

Computer banking fraud is a big problem.  A hacker in Bangladesh can eat for a week on $20...Why work, lets hack!  This practice is actually called Phishing. 

I remember reading about a scam where these creeps stole credit card info from a million American Express and Visa CC holders by hacking a large Hotel chain.  People would see 15 cent to maybe 40 cent transactions on their cards from places they had not been.  They did not dispute these transactions because they were so small in size.  Eventually the cops caught up with the creeps who were bank rolling a small fortune in Malaysia.  Guess what, the FBI has no jurisdiction there.  The banks dont want to talk about it either, because it makes them look bad.           

I think you can see what might happen if the wrong person gets your log on and password data with the same Email address that you have used across Amazon, Paypal, Ebay, and Your Checking Account...

Ive personally received emails that have the same art work and word track as Paypal and Ebay, stating that a transaction I made had a problem.  The email will say we have closed your account until you log in and take care of the issue.  Sure enough at the bottom of the email is a spot for you to enter your log on and password info.  If you enter it there, they got you.  For sure, there never was a problem either... 

Should this happen to any of you, call on the phone to sort out any issues, never log on through an email.  The crooks are taking advantage of knowing that people who have good credit want to keep it and will address any problems - right now.         

Be careful out there. 

[Al_Smith]

Wise words .Like I said twice I got a bug from a web forum and I just plain don't go there any more ,simple as that .If you don't trust the site stay off it .

You know some people have a lot of trust in doing transactions over the internet and get their teat in a ringer so to speak .Why would any body be trusting enough to put their bank account out where the whole world can see it ?Some do though .

[Full Chisel]

Yup, they got some serious technical difficulty over on Arboristsite. That's the problem with promoting oneself as the, "number one tree care site on the web".  If they are incapable of securing their own server, they can't possibly secure any other sensitive data including personal data.

Look like the carelessness is paying off. There is too much work to do to get forced between browsing link bucks or having my PC frozen.

Goodbye Arborist Site. Forestry Forum is better anyhow, and so is Tree Buzz if you are a climber or professional.

[Jeff]

Personally, I find that a bit unfair.  I'm just an old mill rat doing the best I can to run this website. I try to make sure I can do everything within my knowledge base to make sure things are secure as possible. Our registration process is pretty tight, and I think l that helps somewhat on the forum software end of things, but what do I know. To be honest, with everything I do, and as hard as I try, there still may be some gaping hole somewhere that only a hacker would know about and I wouldn't know about it until an attack occurred.

One last resort compromise I am ready to make if we were put in such a situation, is to lose data on one end in order to hack off the head of the snake. Be it a day, or a week, or even a month. We have daily total backups, and hourly incremental backups, but you might never know at what point an exploit to your code was made or where a backdoor or worm could reside.  It's hard to know what Daren is facing over there, and really not fair to judge.  The outfit that hacked them also took down Dell and MSN.

[Full Chisel]

Personally, I find that a bit unfair.......

Perhaps the difference is the fact that they were warned.

[SawTroll]

Jeff is of couse right! 

Btw, at the moment the AS Works fine without locking any scripts out - but who know how long it lasts this time...... :(

[Al_Smith]

I attempted to get some info about this hacker army bunch .Problem being it looked like it directed me to other hacker sites. So rather than take a chance I think it's best to just stay off that stuff .

[Sunrise Guy]

I've given up hope for AS.  Apparently the hackers are too much for the AS administrator.  I think he may have to start from scratch with a new board, new software and a very hefty fee paid to a professional online security consultant. On the bright side: This forum has lots of interesting "stuff" on it that's very different from the AS material.  That being said, if AS didn't back up its own posts and replies, the world of arboriculture will have lost a veritable wellspring of information, most very good, some not so.  Anyway--Having gone to AS more than a few times in the last week, and gotten the redirect each time, I now have concerns that further visits may get my own computer infected so I'm steering clear.

[John Mc]

I do hope AS can work their hacker issues out.  Even though I did not make much use of the site, I could see that it does serve a useful role.