Has Syd99 been going down?

[vitamin]

Has the website been going down a few times lately?

A Couple of times the URL won't load and when checking, says site has been down for a few hours to a few days.

[Backdraft69]

Has the website been going down a few times lately?

A Couple of times the URL won't load and when checking, says site has been down for a few hours to a few days.A few others have had trouble as well.

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/topic?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eaus99forum%2Ecom%2Fsh owthread%2Ephp%3Ft%3D142698&share_tid=142698&share_fid=2041846&share_type=t&link_source=app

aus99forum 503 errors lately


Sent from my SM-S928B using Tapatalk

[Erik Shaun]

Is there a fix?

[aus99 admin]

We are trying to different solution to avoid this happen again.
Hoping this will back to normal soon.
Sorry for any inconvenience.

[Laziboi88]

Thanks for the update admin

[vitamin]

Thank you for responding.

[local]

We are trying to different solution to avoid this happen again.
Hoping this will back to normal soon.
Sorry for any inconvenience.

Is this a vbulleting issue or a colo issue ?

I notice therrors seem direct and no cloudflare

[Icegodofhungary]

Had been happening really frequently for me lately, but I don’t think I’ve had any issues today. Maybe the solution the admins tried had worked?

[thraway_20897]

Is this a vbulleting issue or a colo issue ?

I notice therrors seem direct and no cloudflare

Just to add to this (I've been a long time surfer of the forums out of pure interest... Never posted before.)

@local: This isn't a COLO issue. There is an awful lot wrong with this forum and the larger server aus99_admin is using. I've emailed in before, though never received a response highlighting the plethora of issues with the webserver. But seeing the site admin active here, this may gain some traction.


vBulletin is severely out of date. The current forum software (v4.2.5) was sunset in 2017. We're now in 2025. The site should be running v6.1.X ideally.
vBulletin uses PHP and MySQL, requiring at least PHP 5.6+ and MySQL 5.5.8+. Reportedly, PHP is limited to 7.1 and MYSQL limited to 5.6. Both are also end of life (PHP in '19, MySQL in '21)
Apache (web server running vBulletin) is reported to be 2.4.52. This could be a backport thing (some vendors like Red Hat will backport patches which will cause the version to report incorrectly.)

I'm guessing this is U20.0X, or C7, C8 or a derivative of one of them
The server the admin is using is WAY to exposed. It's got a f*ck load of ports open that shouldn't be, including the database itself. I work in IT security myself. Opening up a database like that to the internet would get me fired. OK, not literally, but my ass would be in front of directors, vice presidents, and auditors to explain it.
Yes, no CF/Fastly. No WAF. So we have a website lacking upwards of 8 years of patches, and absolutely no protection in front of it.


Combine this with the general lack of support for SSL (Edge doesn't work. TOR/Brave seemingly does?), and this is a recipe for disaster to be blunt. Even with SSL support, the forum software is so old that hacking into one of the (sub-)components isn't likely difficult. vBulletin's software is a bit sh*t as well, with the default hashing algo being double MD5. Any password below 12 characters would be crackable in minutes, possibly hours. The only note-worthy thing was having a test device be IP-banned after the port scan.

*Just to add: I haven't actually attempted anything. I have no idea whether the DB found in the port scan belongs to this site.

TLDR: The forums is chalk-full of security vulnerabilites and needs to be patched today. However, without knowing anything about the admin's technical knowledge and evident lack of maintenance already, I'd surmise that won't happen.

[NightShift]

The Website is not working for me like half the time now..

… when I go to this website lately, I have my Fingers crossed.

[Icegodofhungary]

Had been happening really frequently for me lately, but I don’t think I’ve had any issues today. Maybe the solution the admins tried had worked?

It’s started happening again for me after I posted this, though not as frequently as before.

[themort]

Has the website been going down a few times lately?

Yep. Someone offered it 3 pineapples.

[RodgHerMoore]

These past few days this site is like a penis. Spends most of its time down than up.

[RickyPunting]

I frequently get an error message "currently unable to process your request". What Ginza Indian customers experience a lot.

[RickyPunting]

Trying to access this site is like an ML. YMMV.

[Cairns]

Recently was down for me, no clue why.

[HiredGoon]

Is this a vbulleting issue or a colo issue ?

I notice therrors seem direct and no cloudflare

Obviously I totally understand this post, but my favourite bit is the word "therrors". I will be using this in the near future.

[thepoonter]

For some reasons, when I first open the forum it gives a 503 error. After refreshing the page and wait for a few minutes the site is working normally.

[SlippinJimmy]

seem to be getting worse for me, the whole forum needs an upgrade, there is much better forum software out there

[jfoldbar]

i was trying for about an hour today. couldnt get on.

[Abracadabra]

For some reasons, when I first open the forum it gives a 503 error. After refreshing the page and wait for a few minutes the site is working normally.

My experience as well ~ most days.

[Jack-Jack]

Trying to access this site is like an ML. YMMV.

Lmaoooo (meet limit)

[Samir_Verma]

Just to add to this (I've been a long time surfer of the forums out of pure interest... Never posted before.)

@local: This isn't a COLO issue. There is an awful lot wrong with this forum and the larger server aus99_admin is using. I've emailed in before, though never received a response highlighting the plethora of issues with the webserver. But seeing the site admin active here, this may gain some traction.


vBulletin is severely out of date. The current forum software (v4.2.5) was sunset in 2017. We're now in 2025. The site should be running v6.1.X ideally.
vBulletin uses PHP and MySQL, requiring at least PHP 5.6+ and MySQL 5.5.8+. Reportedly, PHP is limited to 7.1 and MYSQL limited to 5.6. Both are also end of life (PHP in '19, MySQL in '21)
Apache (web server running vBulletin) is reported to be 2.4.52. This could be a backport thing (some vendors like Red Hat will backport patches which will cause the version to report incorrectly.)

I'm guessing this is U20.0X, or C7, C8 or a derivative of one of them
The server the admin is using is WAY to exposed. It's got a f*ck load of ports open that shouldn't be, including the database itself. I work in IT security myself. Opening up a database like that to the internet would get me fired. OK, not literally, but my ass would be in front of directors, vice presidents, and auditors to explain it.
Yes, no CF/Fastly. No WAF. So we have a website lacking upwards of 8 years of patches, and absolutely no protection in front of it.


Combine this with the general lack of support for SSL (Edge doesn't work. TOR/Brave seemingly does?), and this is a recipe for disaster to be blunt. Even with SSL support, the forum software is so old that hacking into one of the (sub-)components isn't likely difficult. vBulletin's software is a bit sh*t as well, with the default hashing algo being double MD5. Any password below 12 characters would be crackable in minutes, possibly hours. The only note-worthy thing was having a test device be IP-banned after the port scan.

*Just to add: I haven't actually attempted anything. I have no idea whether the DB found in the port scan belongs to this site.

TLDR: The forums is chalk-full of security vulnerabilites and needs to be patched today. However, without knowing anything about the admin's technical knowledge and evident lack of maintenance already, I'd surmise that won't happen.

Thanks for the detailed review that the website/server are outdated, what is the solution? Is funding needed that is not coming in via adverts?

[Abracadabra]

The site not being able to be accessed and a error 503 message has become progressively worse for me this week occurring multiple times each day.

It took 45 mins to get access this morning. Is there no solution?

[ditchtheboss]

Just clear your browser history. Comes back immediately once I do that

[Abracadabra]

Just clear your browser history. Comes back immediately once I do that

Thx DTB, will give that a try, altho I do do that semi regularly.

[kaitenx]

As someone in similar industry as thraway_20897

It's way better to either update or migrate to a different software like xenforo

Alternatives for today would be to use Discord or Telegram

[Samir_Verma]

As someone in similar industry as thraway_20897

It's way better to either update or migrate to a different software like xenforo

Alternatives for today would be to use Discord or Telegram

Telegram is a messaging tool. How will you manage the threads. (perhaps I am new to Tele as well)

[Kiki kong]

Thanks for the detailed review that the website/server are outdated, what is the solution? Is funding needed that is not coming in via adverts?

I don't think it's a funding issue. Probably a lack of technical expertise.

[jfoldbar]

Just clear your browser history. Comes back immediately once I do that

i tried that made no difference

[jfoldbar]

i couldnt access site for 5 hours today

[LostShadow]

i couldnt access site for 5 hours today

Yeah today's been the worst for me in terms of accessing too, it's usually been ok and will come back after a couple refreshes but down for a while today.

[RodgHerMoore]

It goes down for most of the day...much like Freya at 41 Epping/227NSM.

[RodgHerMoore]

Someone also trying to hack accounts using brute force. I couldn't log in saying I've tried too many times. This site does have many vulnerabilities. I ran an SSL scan and it came up with all sorts. The admin here mist be rookies or underpaid or don't give a crap...or too busy closing burner accounts

[aus99 admin]

Sorry for today. We are trying to investigate and fix the issue, hope this help for now.
In addition, we will still upgrade the system in the near future.

[jfoldbar]

Someone also trying to hack accounts using brute force. I couldn't log in saying I've tried too many times. This site does have many vulnerabilities. I ran an SSL scan and it came up with all sorts. The admin here mist be rookies or underpaid or don't give a crap...or too busy closing burner accounts

i got the same thing. saying i entered incorrect username and password

[jfoldbar]

mayby the site is going through withrawal symptoms from bro rooters AR's

[Abracadabra]

i got the same thing. saying i entered incorrect username and password

Same story here ~ took about 5 hours to login in. As someone said it seemed like a brute force attack!

[RodgHerMoore]

Sorry for today. We are trying to investigate and fix the issue, hope this help for now.
In addition, we will still upgrade the system in the near future.

I feel sorry for some shops who only use this site for posting rosters. True story on Tuesday i tried to look up a roster during a punting window and couldn't be bothered, so i didnt punt.

Next day I went to a different shop.

Now multiply out the number of delayed punts or cancels amongst punters relying on the rosters and it adds up for this site's advertisers.

[JamesS]

I've been having problems accessing the site but it's all been very recent, last week or two, before that always seemed to work pretty good

[milhouse88]

I had issues a few months ago but seems to be a lot better recently. Maybe it's an ISP issue?

[Kiki kong]

I've stopped having issues, so it's likely it's been fixed.

[Laziboi88]

I've stopped having issues too.

[Warriorking]

I suppose it’s just how things are — like my Telstra connection that goes down all the time.

[thepoonter]

Now that you mention it, I no longer having this issue. Probably been fixed now

[Abracadabra]

Now that you mention it, I no longer having this issue. Probably been fixed now

Same here. Was dreadful for 7-10 days a couple of weeks but but fine now.
Thx to those who effected the fix.

[RodgHerMoore]

Anyone else keep getting database error? Seems to happen more switching to desktop mode to sort by AR start date. Then i cunt use the site for a couple of mins. Also happens just general browsing on the phone

[minimaleffort]

Anyone else keep getting database error? Seems to happen more switching to desktop mode to sort by AR start date. Then i cunt use the site for a couple of mins. Also happens just general browsing on the phone

Yes I’ve been getting this quite a lot over the past 2 days, only use the mobile version.

[jfoldbar]

happened yesterday for me. pc and phone

[LostShadow]

Had a weird warning a couple days ago about my IP being banned, couple hours later it was fine. Haven't happened since.