E-mail from GameSpy

[Ben E Lou]

To those with more technical knowledge than me: Is this why board e-mails aren't getting sent? If so, this makes me feel even better about pursuing a move.

Originally Posted by GameSpy

Greetings fof!

December 2, 2004

As you are aware we had to rebuild our linux hosting infrastructure to close many security holes. Since that time we have discovered additional vulnerabilities via CGIs on some sites. For this reason we have been forced to disable cgi function on all sites.

We understand this may break application functionality on some sites, but security and reliability are paramount.

To replace CGIs we would like to recommend PHP, which continues to be fully supported on the dynamic servers.

In addition, we will be looking forthwith into providing some CGIs, such as formmail, which will be acceptable in the security profile of our servers.

[DanGarion]

I doubt this would be why. VB uses sendmail by default, which to my knowledge has nothing to do with CGI or Formmail.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by SkyDog

To those with more technical knowledge than me: Is this why board e-mails aren't getting sent? If so, this makes me feel even better about pursuing a move.

Why does this make you more inclined to pursue a move - sounds to me like IGN is finally spending some time addressing shortcomings in their servers. I don't know the difference between CGI and PHP, and I don't know the extent to which vBulletin functions we've grown accustomed to require either or both, but it seems to me that if IGN is continuing to fix the dynamic servers to make them less vulnerable, and we continue to get free hosting from them despite a high level of traffic, I'm uncertain why we are seriously considering a move. Seems like a case of "the grass is greener" syndrome which could well end up biting us in the butt big-time.

[DanGarion]

For what it's worth I will check my site tonight and see if there is anything I can think of as to why mail isn't working within VB for you guys.

[Ryan S]

This won't have anything to do with the email problem. Dangarion is correct in his assumptions, and I think I am closing in on the problem.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

Why does this make you more inclined to pursue a move - sounds to me like IGN is finally spending some time addressing shortcomings in their servers.

If their changes were the cause of e-mails not getting sent (and it sounds like it isn't), then we would have been stuck forever with new users not getting confirmation e-mails, and with PM and thread notifications not getting sent. Pretty significant. Frankly, I would have rather risked a little security than have had to do away with those functions forever. Fortunately, it appears not to be the case.

I don't know the difference between CGI and PHP, and I don't know the extent to which vBulletin functions we've grown accustomed to require either or both, but it seems to me that if IGN is continuing to fix the dynamic servers to make them less vulnerable, and we continue to get free hosting from them despite a high level of traffic, I'm uncertain why we are seriously considering a move. Seems like a case of "the grass is greener" syndrome which could well end up biting us in the butt big-time.

We had the major outage; we had another unexplained outage a day or so ago; we also have other problems that we *know* are Gamespy-related. Believe me, I was *very* hesitant to pursue a server move, but even I'm strongly leaning that way right now.

[Ryan S]

I think the email problem is probably with our mailbox. I have asked someone to take a look at it. As for the other problems, I am hopeful that they will be fixed them by the weekend but it would be stupid to get too confident.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by Ryan S

As for the other problems, I am hopeful that they will be fixed them by the weekend but it would be stupid to get too confident.