Tuesday, July 22, 2008

CVGS Web Site on Rootsweb Returns...

I mentioned on Sunday that the Chula Vista Genealogical Society housed on Rootsweb/Ancestry had gone missing on 6 July all of a sudden for some reason.

On Monday, 14 July, I sent a message to the Ancestry Support Team through their online Help desk telling them about it. I received a response today (6 working days later). It said:

"It is there: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cacvgs2/ They moved a server. Perhaps he tried to access it during that move? Can he access it now? Sorry for the inconvenience. HelpDesk"

So it took awhile to find it and put it back where it belongs. It's there now - at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cacvgs2/

They moved a server? And busted links for how many web sites? Or databases? How frustrating...

It's nice to know that requests for help are answered. We do appreciate it.

One lesson here is to contact the Ancestry Support Team early and explain the problem thoroughly so that they can respond with alacrity to satisfy their customer.

Now what do I do with the other web site that I worked so hard on? Leave it there? Take it down? Mirror the Rootsweb site?

3 comments:

Chris said...

You should know that the malicious code that I mentioned in my previous comment is still present in the source code of the index page. This Google search shows that others have been finding the same code on their websites.

I would suggest that your webmaster upload clean versions of any affected files, check the directory for anything else suspicious, and change the FTP password. (He might also check his local machine for infection.) If the problem recurs, the server itself might be infected, which would require Ancestry.com's intervention.

Anonymous said...

As for what to do now, download the entire site, remove the infection, change password, and upload the cleaned site again.
Keep the local copy for backup. You also need to upgrade your anti-virus, check your own system and warn site visitors; more detailed advice in email.

Ancestry RootsWeb did not shut your site down because it was infected, but did shut it down because it took a few days to move the servers.
You want to move to host that does not shut your site down for days because they fiddle with their servers, but will shut it down when it is infected.
Ancestry.com is being a bad host and your Google rank has been shot by the infection, so consider moving to another, better host.
Consider your domain name while you are at it. I noticed that chulavistagenealogy.com is still free.

Elizabeth O'Neal said...

ACK! These kinds of things drive me nuts. Your post(s) sent me scrambling to check my own sites on Rootsweb/Ancestry for malicious code. None found so far - thank goodness. More to check, though.

Capital punishment for people who write/propagate computer viruses?