h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

As it says.

Instead I get some stupid warning and a request to enter some capcha nonsense

I've posted a screen capture of the warning here: http://www.bikerjon.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Screen-shot-2012-10-29-at-2.00.47-AM.png

Thank you

That is not something h2g2 does - it could be a virus... I will log it and report to tech, of course, but h2g2 doesn't have any captcha things... I hope it clears away...

This is something that our Content Delivery Network provider has put in your access to h2g2. It does this if it believes that your access is spam, or that there is a virus or malware on your computer.

This isn't a virus/trojan/spam/malware/other sort of nasty itself, but it seems to think that there's something on your computer that is.

Do you have anti-virus on your machine? Is it up to date? etc, etc

I've also been redirected to CloudFlare pages a handful of times over the past few months, but not that one and I can't recall much of the content. I don't remember there being any hint of a security issue, my vague memories are suggesting a connection problem.

Usually, Cloudflare shows up when the page isn't cached or the servers near you are slow. I think. I wasn't aware of the spam-sensitivity though. So I was wrong - again! But do check for virus on your machine...

Extremely unlikely there's a virus on my mbp.

I don't open dodgy email, or download dodgy apps, and no one else has access to my machine, etc.

Also, I access the 'net behind a hardware firewall

Also, there is nothing odd showing up in the processes window of OS X's Activity Monitor

Also, I don't experience any problems with other sites, such as my online banking, and other secure sites

I suppose I should blame 2legs, but really I think the is the culprit

BTW, I just attempted once again to edit my page, and got the same error

If this does not clear up soon, I'll ask you to delete all content on my user page, please

Thanks

Maybe something in my ps code?

I just removed everything in between the GUIDE tags, and got this error instead of that full page capcha/virus thing:

Notice: Undefined index: peer_review in /var/www/pliny.h2g2.com/application/modules/default/controllers/EntryController.php on line 317

Could you please check the code to see if there's anything left over from good old Brunel that may be triggering the error(s)?

I'll ask tech to have a look, unfortunately I don't know how this works.

Hi Taliesin

You get this error when you press update? Are you editing in Brunel or one of the other old skins, rather than Pliny? ( the new version?)

I've had a look at your code and it's very fancy, but I can't immediately spot anything. You need to wait until Pastey comes online I am afraid, unless someone else has a clue.

All I can say is that Pliny is not as forgiving as the old skins were, if there is an error in GuideML, a personal space does not display at all. Yet yours looks really good in Pliny. (This happens with Entries as well, not just personal spaces.)

Which bit did you want to edit? Did you want to add something or take something out? I am sure this is very frustrating. but we will certainly try and get to the bottom of this.

Lanza

When I press 'Preview'

Editing in Pliny

Error occurs when attempting to remove the BRUNEL tags, and all the code between the BRUNEL tags in the header section (I'm no longer using Brunel)

OR

when attempting to change some text in the body

It's just

I would revert to doing your editing in Brunel or alabaster. Then you can see how it looks in Pliny afterwards.

There are still some weird wrinkles in Pliny as regards editing. Do let me know how you get on.

Lanza

Ooops!

Forgot my secret identity there...


sorry about that

It's all 2legs' fault. Nuff said, end of

OK, I believe I've found the problem, and no, my computer does not have a virus, and no, it does not matter which skin I use to edit.

I created a new entry, and selectively pasted sections of my PS code.

I found that the error is triggered whenever I include a LINK tag, even if the link is to an internal h2g2 page.

WTF, people! This is seriously annoying, and you really need to tune the security settings to reasonably secure, rather than excessively paranoid!

BTW, I began testing by simply loading my PS in the editor, and pressing 'Preview', which triggered the error without actually modifying any code

Taliesin, please be aware that those security settings are *not* put in place by us, but by the content delivery network that we use. Blaming us for those settings is a bit like blaming your ISP/Carrier because a website looks awful.

Now, if you believe that you have found what is causing the problem, with a link tag, could you please let us know what was the structure of the link tag that was causing this issue.

Hi Taliesin,

I believe I can explain a little more about how the system works, even if I cannot give you an exact reason you tripped the mechanisms in place to prevent spam.

We use a system called CloudFlare to both speed things up, and help keep most of the spam off h2g2.com.
This constantly monitors activity and spots patterns that COULD look like spam, and actively attempts to prevent it.

That does not mean that what you were doing IS considered spam, but simply that the combination of

a) Your location,
b) The time of the activity,
c) Any activity by you (your IP address actually) on other CloudFlare protected sites
d) What you were trying to do (post links)

Caused it to ask you to verify that you are actually a human, and not a piece of software.

Software like this will never be perfect, and while it successfully identifies around 30.000 actual "threats" every month on h2g2.com alone, there will always be a couple in there that are "false positives".

I hope this explains it.

It's just tough to take when 2legs gets through every time, no questions asked

Pastey, please get your panties untwisted. I wasn't assigning blame. I'm familiar with Cloudflare, and realize it's difficult to fine-tune the security settings.

I was trying to help you identify and correct a potential problem, one that I think Cloudflare should be made aware of

I think I already explained about the LINK tag. It is the one we've been using on hootoo to link both internal and external pages. Take a gander at my existing PS code, and you can see the LINK tag structure. There are a number already there, and they are the ones triggering the error.

The conditions you've listed would be acceptable, if any of them acutally applied. However, all that is necessary to trigger the error, as I have already indicated, is to launch the editor and hit 'Preview' The EXISTING LINKS trigger the error, I have not included any other links, nor had I intended to do so at this time.

You're welcome

Oops. Just deleted my PS. Oh well