Website 'hacked'
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Website 'hacked'
08-02-2012 1:10 PM
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I went to my website the other day (after a very long 'off' period) and immediately received a waning that the page was infected. It seems some 'nasty' scripts had been written into the pages, but only pages named "index.htm" for some reason. The site is only a 'play' site so there is no real impact or damage but I'd be interested to know how this happens.
CGI and PHP are activated on the site so is this as result of some SQL infection or such like, or has my FTP password been hacked in some way?
Any pointers that anyone can offer as to how this can be prevented would be most welcome.
Barrie
Re: Website 'hacked'
08-02-2012 5:04 PM
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If it's on ccgi, you can only ftp from a plusnet ip, which would make the latter less likely, unless your pc has actually been botted. If your av was capable enough to warn you about your own site, that also makes the latter less likely.
It would help to know what's loaded onto the site, and if your av identified the injection (please don't post the injected code), and what browser, av, and os you use.
Gabe
Re: Website 'hacked'
08-02-2012 10:09 PM
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The front page is a simple HTML page with no links to any other pages at all. One of the sub folders contains and index.htm page which is a simple frame set linking to some other HTML pages and images. Only pages with the name "index.htm" were affected and AVG Free 2012 identified "Exploit Blackhole Exploit Kit" on them. The code was contained within <Body onload= > and separate <script> tags and on the framset page these were interestingly inserted after the closing </html> tag. Possibly because there was no existing <body> to hijack. On the front page the <body> tag was hijacked and the <script> tags immediately followed it.
The browsers used were Chrome and IE(8) running under Win7.
Barrie
Re: Website 'hacked'
08-02-2012 11:03 PM
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The website was simple HTML with very little interactivity, over a few pages, and only index.htm was hacked. So it seemed that FTP security was the weak point.
The solution has been to change the FTP password. However, it took several attempts over several weeks for that to work, and eventually required manual intervention by Customer support to force the password change to be applied.
No script insertion since then.
Re: Website 'hacked'
09-02-2012 9:34 AM
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(BTW, I like the way IE 8 thinks it's cool.)
If your site has no db interface, they can't have got in that way. As JohnJ says, it looks like the ftp password. Changing that would be a first step. If it's on ccgi, then PN will need to change it for you. (Incidentally, if changing a password yourself doesn't seem to stop the hacking, it suggests that your own PC or network is infected.) Passwords can be ripped, intercepted (ftp is plaintext), or (commonly) sniffed from your own pc by malware lurking or just hopping into the browser session. If the site is on ccgi, it limits the options. If you keep logs, it might be worth checking through those. Your pc doesn't sound unusually vulnerable, but it might be worth hitting it with an alternative av, just to check.
It's a pandemic.
Gabe
Re: Website 'hacked'
09-02-2012 9:43 AM
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I'm not sure whether CS read these pages but can anyone confirm whether changing the FTP password will mean changing the PlusNet account password (used in the router and the Member Centre)?
I don't mind having to change it - but I'd rather know before hand than suddenly loose my connection

@Gabe
Databases and PHP are activated for the site and there is a sub-folder with a simple page that just sets up a connection. However, as it's only the index.htm pages that seem to be affected I think John's suggestion is probably nearest. CCGI is activated so I guess I'll have to raise a call to get the password changed
Barrie
Re: Website 'hacked'
09-02-2012 10:01 AM
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Gabe
Re: Website 'hacked'
09-02-2012 10:05 AM
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Re: Website 'hacked'
09-02-2012 10:46 AM
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There are files on both ftp.plus.net and cshell.plus.net but only the index files on ftp.plus.net seem to be affected. There is an index file on ccgi.{username}.plus.com but that seems to be clean

@ Adam - thanks for the warning

Re: Website 'hacked'
09-02-2012 11:03 AM
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If your router is an easy start TG585 its connection settings will automatically update, otherwise I don't think you lose your connection until you restart the router. You'd have to update the connection password then.
Your ftp.plus.net password will change, but don't forget the default mailbox email password also changes.
Your cshell.plus.net password *won't* change, but if this is the same as your current main account password it would be prudent to raise a ticket to request your CCGI password be changed.
David
Re: Website 'hacked'
09-02-2012 11:17 AM
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Gabe
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