[Closed] Site unusable today

I got a couple of pop ups last night

I kept getting a really annoying troll on the eu thread.

Yep got it on my iPad coming up security issue, but fine on my iPhone...

I blame Geraint Thomas.

How did you manage to post this thread then?

With difficulty, still happening...

Switched to my Windows laptop now. I get the popup "Welcome google user (was using Safari...), you've just won this tech etc", and also started getting Safari's  Unsecure Site Warning, which i've never had before the latest update. So far Windows is fine ;0)

The popups are happening because spammers/scammers are taking advantage of the advertising. This will continue to happen as long as sites depend on advertising. The only way out is a shift to small user payments for valued sites - be part of that movement and buy a P.

Even I've just bought a P, And I'm a bona fide tight as a ducks arse.

Site works perfectly now. It was either gonna piss me off so much that I'd just slink away, or actually pay a small amount for something that I use a lot, enjoy, and that "someone" has to pay for.

I think for 1.99 per month, for something I look at lots, is great value.

I think it is the way forward.

I've even read a bit of the current issue too.

Still not got a ‘P’, Bob, not getting popups or other garbage. Using Safari on my phone/pad. Not using Google as the search engine, though.

I have a P and they are still happening despite that.

My P is silent. As in "the bath".

I have a P and they are still happening despite that.

You might want to check that, not showing on the screen - mine ran out and it was just a sudden ad fest

No issues here * waves P *

Curious. Without wishing to dismiss it with a bland "it works for me" I've yet to see any of these pop ups. That includes viewing the site on my now ancient iPad 2 using Safari so absolutely no browser plugins, neither am I a premier user.

This suggests that the malware causing the popups is targeted at specific versions of OS or browser that have an unpatched vulnerability. Before Countzero chimes in with his "I don't use Google as my search engine", I do so it's unlikely to be that.

The OS is the latest version/update so curious how it can be unpatched. I also used to have a subscription but not of late - I’ll review that...

Perfectly possible for it to have vulnerabilities and so wouldn't have any patches applied until the next update. Just because it's the latest version doesn't mean that all bugs/vulnerabilities have been patched or that new problems haven't been introduced. Doesn't have to be the browser either, could be Wordpress or one of the plugins for that platform. Might be an interaction between two things.

Not sure why I should pay to stop malware, I don’t get this on any other of my regular sites

****ing twice tried to type a reply and I've been redirected

to the 'congratulations you've won some something'

Absolute joke of a forum.

Thank **** for pinkbike

I’ve been getting that redirect, you’ve won some Samsung nonsense since last night.

Not sure why I should pay to stop malware

Because malware is now an almost inevitable consequence of adverts. And adverts are an almost inevitable consequence of getting anything on the internet free of charge. Servers cost money to run, even if the users provide some of the content.

Yes, there are Forums with fewer adverts, but this Forum is part of a wider content that has to be paid for somehow. And there are genuinely free sites paid for by enthusiasts, but not many.

The advert paid model of the internet is broken.

How does pinkbike do it then? Bike content, forum, no stupid pop ups/redirects

Because malware is now an almost inevitable consequence of adverts.

And yet, as folk repeatedly point out, this site seems to be the only one where they are having an issue.

I had a ‘P’ before the big update, will pay again when the forum stops randomly logging me out.

I'd happily pay a p if the powers that be sacked the excuse for a web developer that has wrecked the site over the last eight months and reverted it to how it used to be.

If you're waiting for a roll-back, you'll be waiting a very long time.  We've discussed this at length previously; the old forum was a complete mess under the hood and no longer maintainable.

We've flagged up the issues reported, but it'll presumably have to wait until Tech are back at work tomorrow.

I used to have a *P* but I still got randomly logged out and redirected, once straight to a porn site.

I'll subscribe again when I see evidence that it won't happen again.

So far I'm not convinced...

And yet, as folk repeatedly point out, this site seems to be the only one where they are having an issue.

Local newspaper and gumtree for me this weekend, the same places it's happened before. My guess is they use a similar ad network.

We’ve discussed this at length previously; the new forum is a complete mess

FTFY

I rest my case.

I must be something wrong, no redirects, no spam, just behaves itself.  If only they could stop me from being logged out, it would be a gold star.  I use Win 10 (Chrome, Edge), Win 7 (Chrome,  IE) and Adnroid (v7 and v.4.4.2).  No apple stuff round here!

I must be something wrong, no redirects, no spam, just behaves itself.

So must I.  I have a "P" but even when I've been logged out (which does happen a bit, and it's an inconvenience rather than a PITA) I've never been redirected to porn sites* or anything.  I'm quite disappointed, I keep just getting STW 😀

*Of course, I've told my wife it happens all the time, like @boriselbrus 😉

The logging out "problem" is down to Wordpress, by default you will only be logged in for 48hrs unless you tick the "Remember Me" box which then means you are logged in for 14 days. If you use multiple devices and or browsers then this applies to each device/browser combination so PC/Chrome and PC/Edge have their own log-in timers.

There is a way to alter the time limit, I've posted the link to the code before, but ultimately it's not an issue that STW created.

Pinkbike for news, here for the forum.

I’d happily pay a p if the powers that be sacked the excuse for a web developer that has wrecked the site over the last eight months and reverted it to how it used to be.

that'll be the site everyone was moaning about needing updating

those praising Pink bike so much why not just go there instead of moaning all the time here

I go there for the news that is usually faster, here for the forum that is brilliant and part of the the stw business plan. I subscribe but do not avoid what I view as issues, most of which in my view consist of content rather than technology.

The logging out “problem” is down to WordPress, by default you will only be logged in for 48hrs unless you tick the “Remember Me” box which then means you are logged in for 14 days. If you use multiple devices and or browsers then this applies to each device/browser combination so PC/Chrome and PC/Edge have their own log-in timers.

Good theory. Except I logged in to the shop computer and was looking at the page I wanted then was logged out without clicking anything, ads appeared then porn appeared.

Apart from the mods, no one at STW seemed bothered.

And yet, as folk repeatedly point out, this site seems to be the only one where they are having an issue

I help to run another forum. It's all run by volunteers so has minimal adverts, just to pay the server costs.  There's only one external ad feed, and that's Google, but it hit me with a redirect yesterday.