Missing security codes

Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2003 8:42 pm

I never expected the topic I started to have taken on a life of its own. I was hoping to not have to post about this security code problem ever again but alas life brings unexpected surprises. Please forgive the slightly lengthy post.

I have been running my 6.5 site for close to a month plus with no problems. The security code works fine on 2 separate subdomain sites that I've created. The site has grown steadily in membership and access has been good. Now, here's where things started taking on an unfortunate twist.

About 2 days ago, the sql database linked to 1 site appeared to have been corrupted. Some of the tables when seen using phpmyadmin showed that is "in use" rather than the usual "MyISAM". This also resulted in the site reporting errors for those blocks that were calling these tables. I'm not sure how this "corruption" occurred.

The next thing I tried to do was to attempt to "fix" the database which actually didn't work and made matters worse. In the end, I had no choice but to delete away the database and did a fresh install using nukesql. Now, when nukesql replaced all tables with new ones, the security image was still working. At this point I was rather upset cos I've just lost a good month's worth of work, forum posts from interesting users and lots more. It then occurred to me that the server admin might also have a backup copy of mysql tables. A quick email to the server admin and they helped to put back a backed up copy of the database. That mostly fixed the site. Point to note, they replaced both subdomain databases even though only one was faulty (no harm done to the other site as it's relatively quiet at the moment).

Here's the interesting stuff (to me at least). The site that was okay but still had the tables replaced (by the server admin) is still ok. The security code still works. The site that was in trouble, had the backup replaced was however not the same. The security code now no longer works.

Now, some personal observations after reading all these posts and going through all these.

1. Site A (corrupted database) had the sec code working all along up till the time the tables got corrupted. Using nukesql to dump all old tables and replacing new ones, it still worked.

2. I've checked that the image files exist in all relevant locations. Calling the file directly also displays the file. So, there's no problem with jpeg or the gd function.

3. The other site that was ok, I assume resides in the same server since it's also a subdomain site, implies that the server has no problem dealing with the gd function right?

4. In both sites, no other file was ever changed. That is all the php files remained intact. The only things that were ever changed were the database files. Both were replaced but one remained functional.

Now, all these leads me to think that something went wrong with the tables. I'm quite open to any suggestions from anyone. If anyone is game to tackle this problem, I'm also willing to disclose my access info to those that I've come to trust in this site (I think Very Happy

). This way, you can first hand look at what's happening.

ok, my apologies for this long posts. I hope my chronicles of misery has not offended anyone. Thanks for reading!!!!

Joined: Jan 31, 2004 Posts: -88

don't assume they're on the same server. With Unix / Linux servers, there's no telling - especially if they're part of a server cluster.

Run analyzer, and in the GD section, check that the non-working subdomain supports the JPEG files.

AI

Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2003 3:04 am

Yep, GD works fine according to analyzer. As I mentioned in point 4, it's also strange cos a fresh set of tables do bring up the sec code but when I put back the backep up sql tables, it disappears. Strange right? I'm not proficient at all to venture a look at the table and phpnuke's relations. Very Happy

Joined: Jan 31, 2004 Posts: -88

you know what's strange?? I can't think of a single reason why the database would affect the security code - they're not even remotely linked to each other.

AI

Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2003 4:10 am

Well, I don't enough about software programming to know that Smile

What I've said so far are based on what I know about scientific testing, about controls and isolating possible changes.

I do know one thing that's strange, the sec code shows up perfectly when running analyzer Question

Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2003 9:36 pm

Just read the "how to get your posts deleted" post by you. I must confess that I'm also guilty Very Happy

Anyway, the two sites can be found at

not working (I've actually applied the fix for removing sec code)
http://pulse.englishdept.net/analyze.php

working
http://elcol.englishdept.net/analyze.php

Nuke Cadet Joined: Jun 29, 2003 Posts: 4

Ive got the same problem, I cant log into my admin because my security codes arent working. I'm freaking out over it. Zibom@zibom.com www.zibom.com

General Joined: Mar 22, 2003 Posts: 5233 Location: USA

http://nukecops.com/postt3503.html

Nuke Cadet Joined: Nov 03, 2003 Posts: 6

I FIGURED IT OUT...IT IS DUE TO THE SYSTEM LOGGING THE DATABASE AND SYNCRONYSING WITH IT...IF YOU MOVE THE FILES AND OR THE DATABASE IT WILL CAUSE THEM NOT TO SHOW UP!!!

General Joined: Mar 22, 2003 Posts: 5233 Location: USA

Something else is going on because that, in and of itself, would not cause it. I move databases and sites for people all the time and don't ever experience a loss of the security code because of that. It is almost always a case of a blank line in a file after the closing ?> in an included file or the GD package is not installed or is not configured correctly.

Captain Joined: Oct 20, 2003 Posts: 335

WOW. This just happened to me!

I was even on my site, all was well... suddenly I tried to log in a user, and the security code was missing (ver. 7.0b1). Its missing for the admin too. BUT, analyzer has no problem finding it.

I heading to that other thread now.......

General Joined: Mar 22, 2003 Posts: 5233 Location: USA

Analyzer is only looking for and displaying it via the routine, not in the context of the other modules and nuke environment, so that is really irrelevant to the issue. Check you language file, config file, header and footer files for recent changes to see if there are blank lines before/after the php tags.

Captain Joined: Oct 20, 2003 Posts: 335

...turns out I a single space after the ?> in my modules/Your_Account/navbar.php

removed it and all is back to normal

Thanks RAVEN for leading me this discovery!

Nuke Soldier Joined: Jan 24, 2004 Posts: 25

Zhen-Xjell wrote:

you installed RC1 the code

Where do you find the RC1 file? I installed nuke 6.9. Installed the block-login and the graphics don't show. Also in the login box you can see

_USERLOGIN

Nickname:

Password:

Thanks in advance.

Corporal Joined: Feb 20, 2004 Posts: 60

You see _USERLOGIN because you didnt specify in your language file what _USERLOGIN is...