Kimler Adventure Pages (http://randsco.com)

SiteGround Hacked

Houston, Texas - It would seem that Randsco has had its share of server problems this June. From a hardware failure that affected performance and server load averages, to a wayward plug-in setting that chewed up too many resources, we have run the gamut. To top it all off, SiteGround was hacked, yesterday, via a cPanel security breach.

Earlier this month, DreamHost reported that user accounts were breached. The SiteGround attack was similar.

Yesterday, at 12:18 CDT every one of Randsco.com HTML and PHP files were edited and appended with an <IFRAME> tag, 1px by 1px in size, that pointed to a realty site in Pennsylvania. I don't know if they are innocent victims or instigators in this hackage, but I suppose you could write them at info@mcKeownRealEstate.com and find out.

Alert Randsco technical staff spotted the hacked files about an hour after the site-wide modifications. The fix was simple (request that the site be restored from backup tape). Only a few comments and other data were lost, given that Randsco staff happened to be on a week-long, team-building retreat on the west coast of Vancouver Island.

Many other SiteGround accounts were similarly affected. Unlike DreamHost, SiteGround has been been very mum about the break-in. It will be curious to see how long other customers sites will be pointing to this real estate location. Randsco staff noted a number of other sites, similarly affected:

• aablecommunications.com
• boliviablog.net
• clancyfan.com
• columbiacjr.org
• crusadeforever.net

At press time, all the above sites are still tossing errors, as a result of the cPanel security breach.

See more websites that share the hacked SiteGround163 server at my IP neighbors dot com.

West Coast Trail Success

Port Renfrew, B.C. - Randsco owners, Scott and Rachel, returned recently from a 5-night, 6-day backpacking adventure along the 75-kilometer West Coast Trail. By most measures, the trip was a resounding success! The weather was fantastic, the scenery outstanding and the trail was ... well, tough ... just like the West Coast Trail should be!

The pair had their share of spills, along the often muddy, rooted, steep and rough trail. Rachel turned her ankle at kilometer 3.5 and Scott fractured his wrist after a slippery rock spill, along the coast. Other than these two mishaps, the rest of the backpacking trip was accident-free.

West Coast Trail Solitude: Rachel walks along one of the sandy beaches, south of the Carmanah Lighthouse. _{Randsco Newswire}

The rain held off and the pair experienced two days of glorious sunshine, nearly a rarity for many West Coast Trail hikers. It rained the last two nights on the trail, but both were snug as bugs in their MEC Wanderer 2 tent.

The pair saw otters, seals, sea lions and a ferret, along the way. Cougar tracks were seen in the muddy track and they did get a chance to pet a (super soft) seal pup that had been abandoned by its mum and then rescued by locals. Bald eagles were plentiful and their cries would often be heard in camp and while hiking.

There was nearly more adventure OFF the trail, than on it, as the exhaust system was ripped off their Honda Accord on the way out, a steel belt on a radial tire snapped and a borrowed truck almost ended up in the ditch on the return trip, along the rough and rugged logging roads of Vancouver Island.

Plenty of pictures, maps and a detailed journal will follow. All this will take some time (as today, Randsco staff are busy trying to get two automobiles road-worthy again).

"It was a bloody expensive trip," said Scott, "but most of it was just in getting there (and back)."