View Full Version : Site disabled forever? I don't understand...
I seriously don't understand what's going on with my account right now... :(
First, the HTTP stats are offline for several days. (The corresponding Thread got deleted in this forum... why?)
Then, all of a sudden my HTTP stats are showing way too much traffic (Forum Thread: http://forum.powweb.com/showthread.php?t=62675). Despite this, my account does not get locked. I wonder why, I write in the forum, I write a support ticket.
My ticket gets answered 3 days later, saying the support will look into the problem. Fine by me, meanwhile the HTTP Stats show between 30 and 50 GB of traffic each day, but my account is unlocked, so I think it's likely the stats are just broken and everything is alright with my traffic, after all the support looked at it and found nothing wrong.
Now today, my account is locked. Without the possibility of unlocking it.
I got the following eMails:
- Powweb System Abuse: Package Service DNS (831229) Disabled
- Powweb System Abuse: Package Service FTP (831230) Disabled
- Powweb System Abuse: Package Service HTTP (831231) Disabled
- PowWeb Support Department: bandwidth abuse again. [strange spelling]
They all read the same:
This is the 3rd time abusing bandwidht. User must look for another
HOST. Please do not enable!!
User also chmod their files to 777, Must use some script to do it. Doing
some music and movie website.
/www/k/koolfilescom/htdocs/files/1325317ebf46f6921a9822477.zip
/www/k/koolfilescom/htdocs/files/1325317ebf46f6921a9822477.zip
/www/k/koolfilescom/htdocs/files/1325317ebf46f6921a9822477.zip
[...]
Following a list of all my Files...
And later, within that list, the following:
/www/k/koolfilescom/htdocs/files/4ab5cc04d079985bb59325e79.jpg/regi
onal!europe!austria!news_and_me
dia!.txt/htdocs/default_files/image008.jpg
/www/k/koolfilescom/htdocs/files/4ab5cc04d079985bb59325e79.jpg/regi
onal!europe!austria!news_and_me
dia!.txt/htdocs/default_files/image008.jpg
/www/k/koolfilescom/htdocs/files/4ab5cc04d079985bb59325e79.jpg/regi
onal!europe!poland!voivodships!
pomorskie!.txt
/www/k/koolfilescom/htdocs/files/4ab5cc04d079985bb59325e79.jpg/regi
onal!europe!poland!voivodships!
pomorskie!.txt
/www/k/koolfilescom/htdocs/files/4ab5cc04d079985bb59325e79.jpg/scie
nce!biology!flora_and_fauna!ani
malia!arthropoda!insecta!odonata!.txt/10-24-02
/www/k/koolfilescom/htdocs/files/5d262bedeaa34c86b6d5eb804.zip
Which doesn't make sense to me. There are not supposed to be any files with "readable" names and the path names make no sense.
I really don't get it!
- Why is my account locked forever? It's supposed to be locked only if I cause bandwidth abuse more than 3 times WITHIN 14 DAYS, which is not the case.
- Why is the DNS disabled? My visitors can't even see that there is a bandwidth problem!
- How should I understand this eMails? I don't know what the part about chmod 777 and " Doing some music and movie website." is supposed to mean... :confused:
I would appreciate some help and/or info. Hopefully quickly, because this is annoying, especially after I TOLD the support there was something strange and now my account got banned EXACTLY like I was afraid it would... :(
Sorry to hear that, but I think you need to look for another host.
I don't know why PowWeb didn't shut you down before.
Possibly, the system for abuse detection wasn't working (as we can guess from the trouble in OPS bandwidth).
If you want your site re-enabled (untill you find a new host), contact abuse department telling you want your ftp serice back so that you can remove offending files to prevent the abuse situation from happening , again.
Also, you should tell them that it's the first offence (unless it's the third one, as they say).
You can try to PM Jago (He is willing to take care of problems via PM) so that abuse department can understand your situation, and re-activate FTP, at least.
http://forum.powweb.com/member.php?u=26127
But I should NOT need to find another host:
- Usually, the rule is that accounts are banned when they use more than 10 GB 3 times within a 14- day period. At least, that's what the normal "daily bandwidth abuse" mail states. This is NOT the case here, or at least it wouldn't have been, if Powweb's system would have worked correctly, shutting my account down the first time my traffic was too high. Like it was, I guessed that the stats were just incorrect. If the abuse system would have worked, I could have controlled my traffic ==> Am I beeing punished for Powwebs mistakes now?
I just don't think that's fair! Also considering that I told support about the problem and they did NOT get back to me with a solution or explanation. So how was I supposed to know that I had to be careful with my traffic??
- For that matter: If I do leave Powweb, and believe me I'm thinking about it, will I get my money back? I paid for 2 years and used only a couple of months of their service.
- What about disabling my DNS? What's the reason for this "sabotage"?
- What about the unclear mail?
You get a prorated refund if your account is cancelled. I agree that this does not seem to have been handled well.
Well, I think you are punished late, and all at once. And that was caused by the mistake of powWeb.
You should have been punished before, and one by one, IMO.
But it's already done, unfortunately.
Now, your priority is gaining the control of your account quickly (either you try to stay or you move).
So, I suggested the best way to get it back.
Also, don't ask questions when you contact abuse department until you get the account back.
It might delay the process.
Note:
Possibly, your account was hijacked and used as a download site.
You get a prorated refund if your account is cancelled. I agree that this does not seem to have been handled well.
That's good news. How is that done for users, who pay per Credit Card?
As I understand it, it is a credit applied to your card. You should contact billing to verify the details.
I wrote all my questions to Powweb Support, this is their answer:
Thank you for contacting PowWeb Technical Support
Your site was deactivated as one of our admins became aware that your site
had
exceeded our bandwidth limits multiple times in the last week, which is in
violation of our bandwidth policy. Please feel free to contact us if you
have
any further questions or concerns.
Rick Boone
PowWeb Technical Support
I am now VERY disappointed with Powweb! I mean WTF????
This email does not answer any questions, it's just some automated response.
It does not even discuss the fact that I think I was punished for Powwebs technical problems!
It does not explain about the previous email about chmod 777 and "movie site".
It's just as good as no mail at all, just like the support ticket about the whole problem before.
And this is not just a regular support- case, it's Powweb f***ing up theirs stats and letting me (and the visitors of my site) bleed for their mistakte.
I really am done with Powweb, thank you. Not so much because of their mistake regarding this bandwidth topic, but because of the way I feel treated by their support.
USER MUST GO!!! DO NO ENABLE!! THIS IS THE 4th TIME already.
*****************POSSIBLE ABUSER FOUND************************
TIME: 2006-02-26 21:04:44
Machine: clust08-www03.powweb.com
User: chimtroicabien
Proccess count: 97
load averages: 137.32, 122.49, 76.12
To verify this information, try /powweb/bin/user.procs
Same to me. FUC
OMG, RedFlag, the tone of your mail is even worse...
Honestly, reading this thread has me a bit concerned. I have followed the various posts, starting from when theflo posted about not being shut down. Call me trusting, but it would seem to me that somebody intentionality abusing the system would not be asking in the forum why the site was still active.
Without any malicious intent, and assuming there were no previous warnings why was the site shut down for good?
These emails looks like they belong internally only, not sent to the customer, who may not know what is going on.
I am not going the argue the need to disable sites that exceed the limits, and it may very well be that these sites are too much for Powweb to handle. What I will argue is that there are set process in place, and they should be followed the same for each person. Reading this it appears they were not.
MafiaLord
3-6-06, 12:43 AM
I too experienced such problems. My website was shut down for "illegal content" without any warning what so ever. The minute I saw this, I thought to my self "what illegal content?". I was not told why it was shut down until I asked. When I did ask what exactly was so "illegal" about it, they explained I was hosting crack-related content, an illegal keylogger, exploits, hacking articles, etc. All of this was true except for the part about the cracks and the illegal keylogger. I never even uploaded a single EXE to my website, ever, let alone a crack. Hell, I didn't even ever talk about any cracks. Further more, the keylogger was a local one- as in, you can't infect someone with it. It has legal uses, such as a parent monitoring a child's activites online. I asked what exactly was so illegal about security articles and hacking (not cracking) software- it all serves a very educational purpose, not to mention a very LEGAL purpose. I got a response saying:
Thank you for contacting PowWeb Technical Support
Your site contained a keylogger, which we consider "illegal content". We
also do not allow content related to "cracks. Please feel free to contact us if
you have any further questions or concerns.
Did that really answer my questions as to why my site was considered "illegal"? Yes, but in a very broad sense... What do you mean by illegal? By law, or by your rules? If rules, what exactly is considered "illegal" to you?
They also deleted every single one of my posts here... And why? I don't get this. Further more, the last time I checked my domain was still registered with PowWeb even though all my other services were banned. Yeah, so when exactly am I going to have my domain released so I can go register with another hosting company, if you guys aren't going to be fair (at least, in my perspective)? HackersEntity will obviously be accepted by other hosts out there- you guys don't decide the universal rules of hosting! Your perception of hacking vs. cracking is EXTREAMLY BIASED. Hacking is legal, cracking is not. Do some research and you will get what I mean. Really, I dare you. Look up the definitions for both those words on Google. The staff also told me to check the ToS as to see why I broke the rules, which I had before I even registered with PowWeb. I saw things like "no illegal content or cracks", but since when are security tools and articles considered cracks and illegal content? I find this quite misleading in a way. If no hacking related content is allowed, both good or bad, they should include that as well.
Also mods, please know this isn't a rant... I just am not feeling like I am being treated fairly. Please don't delete this post;Ii am just trying to express what I feel isn't fair.
MafiaLord, specifically regarding your domain - you can continue to control it through OPS as long as it is registered at PowWeb or you can initiate a transfer to another registrar.
I have no personal knowledge about your site.
YvetteKuhns
3-8-06, 11:23 AM
Hacking is legal, cracking is not. Do some research and you will get what I mean. Really, I dare you. Look up the definitions for both those words on Google. The staff also told me to check the ToS as to see why I broke the rules, which I had before I even registered with PowWeb. I saw things like "no illegal content or cracks", but since when are security tools and articles considered cracks and illegal content?
I recall reviewing your website and even commenting on the difference between hackers and crackers, white hats vs. black hats. I did suspect that PowWeb would be worried about your contents. Perhaps your post brought attention to your contents. I personally didn't see anything that was illegal but there may have been too much info that could be used maliciously. It is a shame since the site was supposed to educate regular Internet users about the dangers of the Internet and how to protect yourselves.
Couldn't PowWeb be more specific and say your site can stay, if you do not include specified contents such as the keylogger? I have seen sites hosted here with profane language and vulgar nudity that didn't get disabled, but may have gotten warnings. The domain names were obvious that the sites would have offensive contents against the TOS. And the sites were posted here on this forum. Hmm...
MafiaLord
3-8-06, 05:17 PM
Yep, I proved their accusations of my website wrong, and now they are completly ignoring all contact from me. I'd be more then happy to work something out with them privatly, but my most recent e-mails are all unanswered... I am not going to settle for this. I demand a response so I can at least know why they insist on banning my site when I proved I did not break any rules, but that doesn't look like it is going to happen.
I feel extreamly cheeted by PowWeb...
Also, please any mod explain to me why all my posts here were deleted? That action seems like something a four year old would have done when banning a member; you guys insisted that my website was "illegal", not my posts here! I am only 13 years old, and I am acting much more mature then you guys... That is a bit sad, no?
I've checked on the BBB website (Better Business Buero), I see I am not the first to have problems with you guys...
By the way, if any staff member is reading this, my e-mail is Dragonz31@gmail.com if you want to contact me. : )
If you want contact PowWeb, use official channel, please.
As for your posts, I deleted them all, after asking the opinion of PowWeb staff,
as promoting cracking site isn't something we want to see here.
Although you claimed your site to be educational, frankly, I didn't think so at all.
MafiaLord
3-8-06, 07:27 PM
You've got to be kidding me! Security advice is cracking meterial? What bias! So basicly you are saying that websites like SecurityFocus, Security-Forums, and GovernmentSecurity are all illegal? Members there give security advice, so you are calling a website with members that obviously possess much more knowledge then you do with computers, criminals? With all due respect, I sugguest you consider revising those claims.
Also, I sugguest you read up on the US laws reguarding electronic crime. You'll see what I am trying to get at here. : ) It isn't illegal... At all. Nor does it break your ToS... At all. In other words, you are failing to provide me with service for a reason that isn't even valid when compared to the US laws and your hosting rules. Services that I also, as you know, paied for. How about that?
MafiaLord
3-8-06, 07:48 PM
*removed*
(sorry for the double post, browser glitch...)
YvetteKuhns
3-8-06, 08:32 PM
I still think that PowWeb could have explained which material was against their idea of TOS, so it could be removed. That would be nicer than disabling a website entirely and forever. The entire website wasn't against the TOS, just one part of it. The terms must be made clearer by better describing what is acceptible and what is not.
MafiaLord created an educational website to warn people against crackers. Ethical hackers are the good guys and crackers are the bad guys. Articles that educate people on how to protect their computers and websites should be acceptable contents. The keylogger script should NOT be accessible on the website, but an article explaining the existence of such a script could be acceptable contents.
I feel bad that there was such a misunderstanding with this particular website. Teenagers who wish to share knowledge for the good of the Internet should not be repressed. Someone should have handled this situation better.
MafiaLord
3-8-06, 08:42 PM
Thank you YvetteKuhns! : ) Also something I'd like to point out- There was only a link to the keylogger. Further more, the keylogger was a local one, as in you can't "infect" with it. It can only run on a computer you install it on. Such uses of this include a parent monitoring their children online. It was just an example. I took into consideration the fact that a keylogger might be questionable content, so I decided to post a local keylogger, instead of one you can infect with over the internet, which is more acceptable due to the fact that it can't cause unathorized access. These are completely legal and are actually sold commercially!
I hope you all understand my intentions were never near bad, and most of all I hope that the staff of PowWeb realizes this as well. If you still feel that my website should be banned, I kindly ask you provide me with a refund. I was mislead by the ToS into thinking the kind of content my website was planned to contain was okay, which as you can see, isn't very fair.
Thanks again!
You really need to take this up with Abuse and/or QA as there's nothing any of us will be able to do here in the forum.
MafiaLord
3-8-06, 08:55 PM
I have tried, but my e-mail just gets ignored. That is mainly why I posted this in the first place.
Also, I kindly ask that you please leave this thread unlocked, if that's possible.
Thanks! : )
What's your tracking code? I'll check its status.
MafiaLord
3-8-06, 09:09 PM
I was never supplied with one : (
Then we didn't get your email. ;)
MafiaLord
3-8-06, 10:25 PM
That is impossible. The first reply I recieved had no tracking code. I e-mailed back my response to what I was told, and that is the one that was ignored. I waited about 4 days, then tried sending another e-mail (this time to the admin) due to the fact that I couldn't get any help from the abuse team, and I still have not recieved a reply from either the abuse team or admin.
Each email sent to us gets a new tracking code - no matter if it's a brand new email or a reply to one sent to you by us. If you didn't get a response back indicating a tracking code, then we did not get your email.
Now whether or not you receive our tracking code reply email is another story.. maybe your spam filter caught it or similar.
MafiaLord
3-8-06, 11:07 PM
Yes, but what exactly would cause the abuse staff not to recieve my e-mails? I sent them through a web-based e-mail client, and it was sent successfuly. It could not have been my spam filter, as I checked my spam folder as well only to see no e-mail from PowWeb there either.
I will try to resend the e-mail.
Thank you.
Stuff happens. Technology is far from perfect! :)
Tom has evidently forgotten that e-mails to the abuse address don't generate tracking codes nor acknowledgements.
Steve - it depends on which abuse email address the email was sent to. Plus QA still does generate tracking codes, and MafiaLord never stated to whom his emails were sent to.
MafiaLord
3-10-06, 10:08 PM
I tried to e-mail the abuse team again a few days ago, and still no reply...
tbonekkt, I e-mailed the Abuse Department ("Problem: My domain just stopped working". Closest I could get to describing my problem). This is the fourth time, and still I have yet to recieve an e-mail back with any kind of tracking code, or any kind of valid response.
This is getting quite annoying. What's the admin of PowWeb's e-mail? Was it admin@powweb.com? I tried e-mailing that as well a week back, but I can only assume it isn't the right e-mail because I never got a response. I'd like to talk to him/her about this problem, since I can't get help otherwise. I feel extreamly cheated, and quite angry. I found PowWeb to be a great hosting company, but for the last about, I believe, 3 weeks I can't get in contact with anyone who can help me with my problem! What kind of service is that?
Also, you guys are inforcing rules that don't even exist in your ToS. I got banned for a rule I wasn't even aware of. If I would have know all hacking sites (both good and bad) weren't allowed, I wouldn't have gone with this hosting company... You may say "but, it was that keylogger!" I clearly explained how legal the keylogger was before, so I don't see any reason I should still be accused of being some horrible online criminal =/
Just doesn't seem fair to me... The least you guys could do is give me a little help here. I know the mods can't, I am talking about the abuse team here.
Toll Free: 1-877-476-9932
Talk in real time with a real person. I don't think you'll resolve your dispute in the forums or in chat or in e-mail.
Kevin
I told you to use "official" channel.
http://powweb.com/PowWeb/Company/Contact
And TOS says these.
http://powweb.com/PowWeb/Company/Policy/TOS
Unacceptable uses of our service also include: Bulk emailing, unsolicited emailings, newsgroup spamming, pornographic content or links to adult websites, nudity, copyrighted MP3s, illegal content, copyright infringement, trademark infringement, warez, cracks, or software serial numbers. PowWeb will be the sole and final arbiter as to what constitutes a violation of this policy.
Right to Refuse Service
At its sole discretion, PowWeb has the right to refuse any and all service or Services to any applicant, Customer, Client whether it be an individual or legal entity.
MafiaLord
3-15-06, 08:15 PM
Hmmm...
There isn't really any use going on about it, as it can't be solved here. Owell. Just wanted to point something out to Extras.
Research what the word "crack" means. I was not hosting any cracks. Period. I dare you, spend about 10 minutes simply looking up what the word "hacker", "crack", "hack", "security", and "whitehat" means. I know you are talking about the keylogger, but I wasn't even hosting it; I simply linked to it. Further more, also research if a keylogger is considererd "crack-related" meterial here in the US. You'd be suprised : )
Why is it that the government even posts content related to viruses, keyloggers, etc? Hm? What's this?
http://www.lbl.gov/ICSD/Security/
http://antivirus.nih.gov/
http://www.us-cert.gov/
So basicly you guys banned me because you don't like hackers, even if they don't break any rules... Hmmm... Yeah, I'll be calling that number, maybe writing a few e-mails to the boss as well reguarding this absurd situation.
And Extras, you sound very unprofessioanl by the way. I've looked at your other posts too... Do you even speak english correctly?
"I told you to use "official" channel."
What kind of tone is that? Sounds rude! And by the way, I did. I got no help.
"And TOS says these."
Yeah, I've checked the TOS already. Before I registered too. That was when I was thinking "oh cool, nothing not allowing hackers here... Crackers (people who "crack") are illegal, but hmmm... Since it says nothing about hackers and by law, they are legal, I assume PowWeb allows these kinds of content."
Why do you think there is the word "hacker" and a word "cracker"? If there was no difference, why make two words? There is a HUGE difference between the two. I am a hacker, not a cracker. I am challenging you to prove me wrong, that any hacking related content is completly illegal. Go ahead, do it. Try me. Show me a few sites that support your biased views. And please link to trusted sources only, not some website no one has ever heard of before. Good luck finding any!
... Please, this time if you are even going to respond to my posts, do it in a way that at least responds to all my statements, instead of repeating your self again. I told you to research it, and you didn't. You just restated your biased belifes. You know, not everyone is right all the time... Thanks.
P.S. I understand you guys can't help me, and it is not your fault that my site was close down. I thank you for your help : )
YvetteKuhns
3-15-06, 09:54 PM
You are not allowed to host or link to contents that PowWeb decides is inappropriate. Your examples of government websites that link to keyloggers are not hosted by PowWeb, but you do make your point that your contents were believed to be within the TOS.
As an ethical hacker and not a cracker, I can appreciate your view. It is a shame that PowWeb did not simply disable your site temporarily and ask you to make the necessary changes to be within their interpretation of the TOS. It is possible that they simply fear the text "hacker", because the general public doesn't know the difference between a hacker and a cracker. Your site would have taught them.
And Extras, you sound very unprofessioanl by the way. I've looked at your other posts too... Do you even speak english correctly?
You complain about the English Extras uses and yet can't even get that sentence correct - unprofessional and English in this small extract. If you wish to be taken seriously then don't make comments that are personal, keep to the technical details of your case.
I've seen his site and the way it presented the cracking info.
Branding it as 'hacking' (or white hat, whatever) doesn't matter.
I'm closing this thread. :)
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