Upgrade Issue

[computergenius]

The forum appeared to have updated itself this morning, but no-one can get in.
I say that it appeared to have updated, as the folder "last updated" changed. But I am very confused as to what has happened!

But a logging in error has started today.


When users login to the main site, they also login automatically to the forum.

The code to log them in (but not open the forum) is here:

$cookiename = 'SMFCookie956';
require_once 'forum/LogRegAPI4.php';
$api = new LogRegAPI;  // This line fails.

And the message appears: "Connection Problems
Sorry, SMF was unable to connect to the database. This may be caused by the server being busy. Please try again later."


Also, if I go to the forum/index.php - I just get the Connection Problems message. But this file is very old - 19/11/2017, V.2.0.15

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

[Looking]

I have never heard of a forum updating itself. Which version were you running / expecting?

Also, not familiar with LogRegAPI4.php. Are you on shared hosting?

[computergenius]

I think that I assumed that the forum had automatically updated, as the folder update time was about the last time that anyone was able to log in. As I don't know SMF well, I assume that it had updated.  From your comment, I now realise that it doesn't.

And I am now wondering if LogRegAPI4.php is to do with connecting users from the main system to SMF.  We had to get an outsider in to create the link, and it was over 4 years ago.  This was because access to the forum is only available to members of the main system.

I would guess that I should be updating SMF as the version is old.  I will look around to see how to do that, any pointers would be appreciated.

[Looking]

I hope you kept backups in case it was compromised especially if you were using a version with security holes.

Start here: Online Manual

[computergenius]

Well, that was a surprise!

We had had a visit from the bad guys!  This is the first time that anyone has been able to change code on one of my sites, and I have been doing to for years!

It was so unexpected, that it was a long way down my list of things to check. I don't know if it was via my clients very old version of SMF, or something else - I work on the main side of the site, not the forum, so I suppose that it could have been there, but I keep my code pretty well up to date, but it's always possible that I missed something.  The passwords are quite strong, and just got a lot stronger.

I will finish nailing things down, and get a mailshot ready for everyone, tomorrow.

Thanks for your help.