*********************** Please Share with Project Mail Lists *********************************** The USGenWeb National site and sites hosted on theusgenweb.org have been checked and double checked and they are clean of the malware that was discovered a few days ago. The only file types that we found affected were ones that were .html, .htm or .shtml. The 'techies' at the hosting service ran a script to remove the code on all files that were affected. In checking through files, we've found no affected files still remaining. The reports through some mail lists of files from the Archives and/or Tombstone Project have not been able to be confirmed. The Archives and TP Projects are not hosted on the same servers or at the same hosting service as the National site and/or theusgenweb.org. It is unlikely that a text file would be affected by the problems that were discovered on the National site since most files in the Archives are text files, not .html, .htm and/or .shtml files. The servers that the Archives and TP Project are on have been checked and no problems found. At this point, unless a specific URL is provided, we can't reproduce the reported problem. A few have asked what the hosting service is going to do about the recent infections, and their lack of security on the servers. The first infection was NOT caused by a lack of security on the servers. The hacker gained access to the National site by hacking into a computer that was connected to an unsecured network, creating a back door for him/herself and then using that backdoor to get in and do his/her dirty work. Once the backdoor was opened, they had access to all site folders, which allowed them to infect multiple sites. There was an auto-replicating file loaded, among other things, so as fast as we were removing infected files, more infected files were appearing. Files of many different type were affected. That was not the case this time. The files that were hacked were only those that had .html, .htm or .shtml extensions. No elaborate file manipulation was involved. If you looked at the upload dates, the affected files all had the same date on them - the day that the issue was first recognized and reported. It was easy to tell what files were affected if you checked them carefully. The infections were the same type that were being reported all across the web, including Rootsweb/Ancestry. Malware was causing a fake notice of an update to Adobe that should be made - and not through the Adobe site. If you actually downloaded the file, it 'stole' your cookies, enabling them to have access to your info/passwords stored on your computer. Most anti-virus programs that I've heard were actually not allowing the page to open because they detected the Trojan. I know my Norton's refused to allow the page to open, and I know someone reported the same of AVG. IX Webhosting's servers can't all be painted with the same bad name. Some accounts hosted at IX were not affected - I know that a couple of my personal accounts had no problem at all. Likewise, not all of the reports were from IX's servers alone. As I mentioned, there were issues with Rootsweb and Ancestry's files also not behaving as expected. Several other hosting services also had problems with the same malware issues. If you should continue to have any problems accessing pages on the National site or those that are hosted on theusgenweb.org domain, please let us know. Please provide the specific URL of the file that you received the warnings about from your anti-virus/anti-spyware software or that you experience warning you of a needed update to Adobe. For those that host their sites on theusgenweb.org, new passwords are being set and you should receive yours in the next couple of days. Sherri Bradley National Coordinator USGenWeb Project Information about the USGenWeb Project at http://usgenweb.org Advisory Board Agenda http://usgenweb.org/agenda2.php

Here's what my constituents are telling me: Rules should be in the bylaws. Guidelines are suggestions, not rules. The two should be clearly presented on the national Web site, so that coordinators can tell the difference and know what is required. Vivian Price Saffold State Coordinator The GAGenWeb Project