Now for something completely different

JMac · #1 (**permalink**) 11-16-2003, 07:18 PM

Hi all-

A warning in anecdote form...

Once upon a time (today), while checking my raw access log, I came across a visitor who came through from a site I'd never heard of before. I decided to check them out (I'm not posting the actual link - PM me if you think this may have happened to you, too - visit this other site FIRST since it tells the story of what these sites are doing: http://www.idly.org/2003/11/14/porn_...hind_blogs.php ) and found it to be a relatively innocent looking Blog site about Business Blogs. Odd... why the link to us? I found the link to us on the left hand side, where you'd normally see a navigation menu - and it wasn't just any link - it was a link to our control panel. Of course, without the password and such, people can't get in... but why?

So, I did a Whois on the site and got a name. Then Googled the name - that's where I got the above link - about how porn sites are hiding behind blogs - and using these "links" to boost their Google popularity. Now, as I understand it, there is a hidden link at the bottom of the page which I also found when I did a view source. Either way, and whatever the heck - How would this affect the popularity of a porn site? I mean having a link to my control panel on a blog site, even if it is a false front (which I have yet to comprehend), how will this helps them?

Anyways, this is more of a warning than anything else - watch your logs and check out referrers. I've had some people coming through from porn sites before (though I have nothing remotely porn-like on my own sites) and even a gun enthusiasts' site in Germany - why? Who? What? That whole world is a little more "deep web" than I get!

JMac

rocky1 · #2 (**permalink**) 11-16-2003, 10:08 PM

Obviously they never watched you play badmitton or they'd know they were flirtin with disaster!

minstrel · #3 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 01:57 AM

See this thread started by Judith:
Why are these bloggers linking to me?

pete61uk · #4 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 02:44 AM

Good thread.

I checked the site out and found one of those listed in my referrers. Also, one not listed, "Mike's Spot.Com.

I had looked at these when they appeared in my stats but thought they were harmless. Hell, I couldn't even see any links to my site????

I'll be looking more closely in future. However, what can be done to stop it? If you e-mail them a strongly worded complaint all you are doing is providing a live address they will probably sell on?

JMac · #5 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 11:05 AM

Hi again,

For an update on what's been discovered so far, see:

http://www.webproworld.com/viewtopic.php?p=41932#41932

(You know, even though it says HTML is enabled for me in my profile, I have yet to successfully use it in a post!)

Have a great Monday and feel free to join in the hunt for the source of these sites.

JMac

JMac · #6 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 12:02 PM

Rocky-

I've got a birdie for them, alright! And, I am not afraid to use it!

JMac

myclassy67 · #7 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 04:01 PM

I think I saw something on this site somewhere about this, but I can't find it now.
I followed a link this morning from my "latest visitors" from my control panel to a site that had a link TO my control panel on their site. Looking up the info on the site came up with a wrong phone number, a street that doesn't exist, etc. When I tried to call the hosting company, I get answering machines and no returned calls. I don't think without my id and password that it's accessible to the "regular public", but I don't like the idea of the situation and the fact that I can't reach anyone to take care of it.
Should I be worried about this, and is there anything I can do to get it resolved??
Sue
www.lovinghandsboutique.us

<mod note> I found it and merged them for you Sue - Carju1

christoefar · #8 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 04:08 PM

I don't quite understand the question, could you rephrase it please.

myclassy67 · #9 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 04:28 PM

sorry - I found on someone elses website a link to my websites "control panel". All the info to that website (phone number, address, etc) is phoney and I can't reach anybody where the site is hosted. should I be concerned about this link being on that site and if so what can I do to fix it - or am I being concerned about nothing.

Sue

christoefar · #10 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 04:43 PM

Well if all the info on the page seems to be phony then, it's probably not a very good site to have your link on.

But as you can't get in touch of the site owners or the hosting company, then there is not much else you can but sit back and see what happens,
if you want to give me the info, I would be happy to look into it for you.

Without your user and pass It won't be possible to access your control panel, so it's not the end of the world.

Good Look

myclassy67 · #11 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 05:45 PM

The site was www.mikesspot.com and is hosted on Stargate.com. Thanks,
Sue

myclassy67 · #12 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 05:52 PM

guess my post got moved to be included in the post I couldn't find, but didn't realize it until after replying. Sorry for continuing when most of what I was asking was already answered. (it's been a very long monday)
sue

christoefar · #13 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 06:02 PM

That website seems harmless, might just be an a coding error in Movabletype, I don't know that much about Blogs so I'm not sure, sorry.

myclassy67 · #14 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 07:12 PM

Thanks for your help Chris
Sue

Narasinha · #15 (**permalink**) 11-18-2003, 02:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by myclassy67

Looking up the info on the site came up with a wrong phone number, a street that doesn't exist, etc. When I tried to call the hosting company, I get answering machines and no returned calls.

I had a problem with someone sending spam with my email address as the return address. The spam was coming variously from China, South Africa, Brazil, etc. Companies in these countries are difficult to track down. The advertised site was registered in the US (it was a .us domain), but hosted in Malaysia. The single page at the site contained an information-gathering form that linked to an IP number belonging to a cable company in Arizona.

I called the telephone number listed in the contact information for the domain, but the number was that of an individual who had no idea about the site. The area code and exchange were correct for the address listed. Directory assistance had no listing for the person associated with the domain name.

Registrars generally have a clause in their terms of service (TOS) specifying that contact information must be correct, and must be changed within a certain period of time if necessary. I contacted the registrar (godaddy.com in this case) and informed them of the situation, particularly the incorrect contact information. The site was shut down (no DNS) the next day. Their spam still went out, but it was now useless. I hit them where it hurts: in their wallet.

If you have problems with a site that has incorrect contact information (I often use samspade.org to get this information) contact the registrar associated with their domain name, not their web hosting service, and let them know about it. GoDaddy was very helpful in this particular case.

Best Regards,
Narasinha

vfaulkner · #16 (**permalink**) 11-18-2003, 11:02 AM

I too have had a log ref to mikes spot blog, but no visible link when trying to verify...

JMac · #17 (**permalink**) 11-18-2003, 11:22 AM

vfaulkner:
It's only by fluke that I saw the link to our control panel - they have a rotating links script or something (underhanded) and you need to arrive at their page within 10-15 minutes of seeing them in your "latest visitors" or else you won't see the link - but it WAS there!

Besides mike's blog, websearchus.com, worldnewsblog.com, there's another one at teoras.com - looks like a blog, smells like a blog - but it's not a blog. Under each of these sites is a folder called "adult-webcam" and many of the links on the page, including ones hidden as transparent gifs, are links to their naughty section. Even accidentally clicking into those links will have you slammed with up to 100 popups in 20 seconds - on my PC, everything crashes - on my Mac, I do a Force Quit before the family wonders what the heck I am doing. So far, since adding the ip number 141.85.3.130 to my IP deny list, I haven't had any links through from these sites. All of these sites have come through on that IP number.

Click through on Minstrel's provided link above to the other post here called "Why are these bloggers linking to my site?" - more information there as well. Including my exchange of emails with the company who registered their domain name - apparently they used to also host them. They aren't a very helpful company though - the guy's response was to say "since i don't visit porn sites, i won't have a problem with their popups crashing my browser". Ah yes, very helpful!! :-(

Have a pleasant day all!

JMac

JMac · #18 (**permalink**) 11-18-2003, 11:23 AM

Same message entered twice - oops!

JMac

Greyhawk · #19 (**permalink**) 11-18-2003, 11:35 AM

Ok I am convinced I will never have a blog on my site.

Greyhawk

mikmik · #20 (**permalink**) 11-18-2003, 07:47 PM

Hi V!

That's okay Greyhawk, I already got one there..