Has Syd99 been going down?

[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• vBulletin is severely out of date.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