Hey everyone! darvit here.
If you’re an Internet Explorer user, please read this carefully.
I just found out this afternoon that FanGathering has been injected with some malicious code. This code would basically redirect its users to another site and could possibly make them download some harmful viruses or trojans. All the affected areas include this main site (only this first page; I’ve checked the rest and they are clean), the FanFiction Archive, and the obviously messed up FanArt Gallery (which the hacker initially infected).
The good news: not all users would be able to experience the effects of such malicious codes. If you’re using Firefox, Opera, Safari, or even Konqueror, the script would not work on your browsers.
The bad news: all the Internet Explorer users (yes, that means you!) are affected.
I suggest that you upgrade to either one of the latest browsers right now:
More good news: The Artemis Fowl FanGathering Forum is the safest place if you’re an IE/Windows user.
Don’t panic. Just run a virus scan to be sure, but don’t panic.
I have contacted MichaelM and I’m sure he will respond soon when he wakes up or something.
Please update your friends and warn them beforehand [e.g. through IM or email, etc.], even if you’re not sure if they’re even using IE in the first place! Thanks!
UPDATE: Please send your friends this link in order to inform them of the attack. Don’t make them go to the main FG page because that wouldn’t be too wise. XD https://forum.fangathering.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4859
UPDATE 16-April-2008: Please read an update on our progress here.
oh yes, the fanart page are really mess these days.
though it’s not a good new, but still , i am happy to see things updating here, at lease not gone.
AHHHHH!!! I’m using internet explorer! oh wait.. the article said not to panic.. Okay, I’m not going to panic.. just maybe freak out a bit. hmm… so that’s why i had a notice that an attack to my computer was blocked and it was from this website. Well… thats good that Darvit found out about it. I hope this gets resolved soon!
I think that this gave my computer a virus. I was reading fan fictions then the internet messed up, saying there was a problem with the server, and could be solved by reseting the DNS, but then it didn’t work. I don’t know, but I was reading a fanfiction when it started. It was on March 20th.
@Minerva: Thanks for letting us know. We’ll have to wait until MichaelM gets back to check the server logs for March 20th. However, I don’t think that’s a virus. The site may have been experiencing some difficulties at that time [that happens because we get hit by thousands of visitors daily].
Youch. Don’t you just wish you could get your hands on the little scumbags that did that? Here’s hoping the exploit was fixed. *makes note to get AFC’s team of code monkeys to take a quick look through the custom PHP code again*Always the offer though, if you ever need a hand in looking over what happened, I’m keen to lend ya a hand.TCP.S. Just a note for all new members, TrojanCentaur is not a virus writer, dispite the rather unfortunate name. He’s the administrator over at the Artemis Fowl Confidential, and not out to hack your computers to bits. 😉
Hey TC, thanks for the sympathy! The root cause of it all is Coppermine Photo Gallery. All the biggest Coppermine galleries have been hacked these past few days by some spammers. Speculators are guessing that they’re the RBN [a bunch of Russian spammers], and they’re riding on these galleries’ popularity in order to reach out to more potential computer zombies. I just notified Matt over MSN just a while ago. You guys should update your Coppermine as well, just in case the spammers trace your fan art gallery. 🙁 I mean, our gallery was very much up-to-date at the time of hacking [ver. 1.4.16]; I believe yours right now is 1.4.12. Do update yours when you can! 😯
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. i think i infected the library’s entire computer system…. I noticed the main Fanfiction page thing was messed up, it wouldn’t let me log in….
…Oooh.
But I think I have Firefox.
…Okay, I do.
Yep.
It didn’t say it blocked anything though, so I’ll run a test.
0.0
I don’t have Firefox…
Opps.
I though the guys who were posting the website were feeling like hacking everyone got on (thankfully, my AVG security thing found it and erased it). Apparently, the hacker had stuff being downloaded into your computer just being on the first page (Temporary Internet Files).