Unhacked and Upgraded!

When I last updated GameLuv’s WordPress backend it was a harrowing ordeal involving several steps, numerous saved database files, and a reactivation process that never seemed to finish and clean up after itself. So once we got the site back to operational status I’m sure you can understand how I felt less than compelled to upgrade when another “upgrade now” notice popped up not a week later. I kept putting it off and look what happened! We got hacked!

I don’t understand it in the least but there was an exploit just recently discovered in older versions of WordPress (what we were using) that let unscrupulous types weasel their way into an admin account, insert some erroneous spam code and then try to back out without leaving a trace. I noticed the bad code right away but didn’t realize what it meant until yesterday at which point we managed to delete the BADmin accounts, upgrade the site and… promptly kill the database. Ooops! So I spent a few hours just now basically poking holes in PHP MyAdmin and miraculously got the site back up and operational! Horray for blind stinking luck!

Here’s where you guys come in. I’ve been meaning to update our comment system for a while and though I’d love to code my own proprietary system with all kinds of fancy whistles and bells, I’m perfectly happy using Disqus. The system is live on GameLuv right now and has folded in all your old comments but you’ll need to claim them for your icons or gravatars to show. Unfortunately, this does mean creating an account at Disqus but it is supported by a ton of sites around the web and it allows you to send your comments to Twitter and Facebook.

*Gee, that’d be a nice way of helping spread the word about GameLuv while at the same time sharing your insightful opinions with your friends and family!*

So if you’ve got a minute, find your last comment on the site, claim it, and we’ll all have happy colorful icons and a fancy new social media-y comment system to help us babble back and forth about games with! Welcome back to GameLuv!