Donna Young's Blog: Hacked

Hacked

Donna Young @ 12 March 2009
Filed in Categories: donnayoung.org Work

http://donnayoung.org

I despise being hacked, but I learned something new today – static files can be hacked. I did not know that and I did not appreciate the lesson. I do not know how they did it. It took hours to replace all of the static files and minutes to fix the dynamic parts of the website.

Do you know what a static file is? This page that you are reading is not static, it is dynamic. Dynamic files are fetched from a database and assembled when requested by your browser. Each time a dynamic page is loaded, it can be different. Most files at donnayoung.org are static, which means that each single page exists individually. It is the same each time it is loaded unless you happen to be there when the webmaster, yours truly, changes the page.

Image from: The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali, 1931

donnayoung.org, Work

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Beth S. · Mar 12, 01:34 AM · #

I am sorry you were hacked, Donna. What a huge amount of work that must have been for you to get the site back up.
chocolatechic · Mar 12, 09:11 AM · #

I am so sorry.

I am quite sure that you`ll show them, and they will never be able to do it again.
Sheri · Mar 12, 01:06 PM · #

As usual, I learn something when I am here. That stinks that your files were corrupted by somebody who definitely needs a purpose in life. I am glad that you were able to repair the damage. Thank you for everything you do for homeschoolers, Donna.
Elaine · Mar 12, 01:27 PM · #

It just burns me up that some people have so little to do in life that they spend their time ruining the hard work of others.

I am glad that you were able to repair the damage and restore the site to the way it is supposed to be.Here`s to you, prayers that it does not happen again.
Lisa · Mar 12, 02:09 PM · #

:-x I do not understand why people do this :x

I am sorry you got hacked. I like learning new things but not this way:p

I hope you found a way to keep them from getting to your files. They help us all so much. You are awesome Donna.

I love the painting you posted it really speaks of time slipping away. That is how if feels with computer problems and dealing with hackers what a waste of time. Leave to you to find a silver lining in learning something new. You are an inspiration.
Catryna · Mar 12, 02:29 PM · #

Ack, that sucks! But you know, you reap what you sow... so take comfort in knowing that they will have the favor returned!
Michelle · Mar 12, 04:27 PM · #

I am sorry you were hacked. Glad you were able to fix it.
Rose · Mar 13, 04:57 PM · #

Donna,

I am sorry. That is so wrong of people. It is obvious they have no respect for the hard work you and everyone does to keep a website going.
Jean Hall · Mar 13, 10:06 PM · #

Donna,

I am so shocked and sorry to hear this. Words fail me. You`ve provided such a help to homeschoolers over the years. Talk about senseless destruction!

I am glad you were able to repair the damage.

Sincerely,

Jean
Donna · Mar 14, 07:43 PM · #

I`ve been checking the website every few hours. So far nothing else has happened and so I must have cleaned out all of the planted scripts. I still do not know how they did it.
Melanie · Mar 14, 11:40 PM · #

Hackers are just drawn to you, Donna! it is because you are so cool. Being cool has its drawbacks, I am afraid, but I am sure you will overcome them because of your, well, coolness.

By the way, I am glad to see you out and about online, even under these less than happy circumstances. :)
Donna Young · Mar 15, 07:34 PM · #

Melanie, that is a cool spin on why I was hacked. 8-)

And thank you on the second part of your comment.
Tressa · Mar 21, 11:28 PM · #

I am sorry that you were hacked, Donna. Why do people do that? I just do not get it.
Lisa Russell · May 10, 11:31 PM · #

I`d like to hear more about it. Usually it is a rogue plugin or widget that doesn`t seek to violate you personally, just anyone they can get, with automated systems that look for certain conditions, certain default file permissions, certain codes they can exploit. I wouldn`t take it personally, but I`d like to learn how you tracked it and resolved it, I am always afraid it will happen to me & I won`t be able to find the culprit. Sifting through page after page of code only sounds like fun when it is not an emergency. Good work, Donna
Donna Young · May 11, 01:13 AM · #

Lisa, it targeted files with the word "index" in the name (including image files) two levels deep. I happened to find it on the same day by checking my website with Internet Explorer. IE gave a warning so I knew that something was wrong. Then it was just a big time drain cleaning it up.