"Guests" on forum - Alert

[Fred Underwood]

We suddenly have about 3500 "guests" on the forum and the number is rising.  Very rapidly signed in and most guests are doing "unknown action."  What is going on?  Bot invasion?

[Fred Underwood]

Look at "users online" at the bottom of the forum threads.  It is increasing very rapidly and may slow the forum.  I sent Robert a PM alert.  Any other suggestions before we get shut down?

[Dan McEntee]

I just texted Sparky, hope I have a current number for him.

[RC Storick]

Thanks for the heads up. No reason to panic all under control. All is safe for now.

[Fred Underwood]

No panic, just a little concern with what happened at SS.  I looked because I thought I noticed a little slowing at first.  The "guests" signed on at about 30/minute but since they then had no activity, they timed off/out after 2 hours and eventually left at the same rate.  30/minute for 120 minutes gives the about 3600 guests.  Thank you for looking into it, and for managing the forum.
Fred

[john e. holliday]

Hope this isn't the same brain dead moron that destroyed or tried to destroy Stuka Stunt.

[Fred Underwood]

Now over 7000 "guests" and at least for me, everything is slowed, including needing a few attempts to log on.  Not complaining at Robert, just attempting to explain the slowing that we may be getting.  Bots keep logging in as guests.

[Dan McEntee]

   I just pinged Sparky. Sooper slow for me also, and I couldn't log on from my phone at work today.Over 7400 "guests" when I looked last.
   Type at you later,
  Dan McEntee

[Dan McEntee]

  I'm just getting ready to leave for work, and things are working much better. There are still over 7800 "guests) logged on,is that a normal figure? I have never checked that before this current issue popped up.
  Type at you later,
  Dan McEntee

[pat king]

There are over 6200 "guests" showing right now and response is very slow for me. I would guess 6200+ is at least 10% of the C/L fliers in the nation.

Pat

[Fred Underwood]

Of course the forum is international, but that number is still generated by an automatic "bot" most likely.

When the forum had difficulty last November, there were over 12,000 as shown in most online ever in the Users area.  After that was fixed, we usually had well under 1000, and usually under 500.  The number goes way up when a bot does rapid sign-on, over and over, and that ties up the forum.  Least it seem totally weird that I would watch that, I learned after moderating on an unrelated forum.  When the forum is bogged down, I look at the user numbers.  It was also an SMF type forum.  The owner/operator would then fix it, but beyond my pay grade.  SMF makes it sound like managing a forum is free and simple, and the software may be.  Keeping the forum up running and with enough storage is definitely not free or easy.

It took me about an hour and multiple tries to get on the forum, and then to not loose the link while trying to read and then post this.

[RC Storick]

Yep once again we have come under a DDOS attack. So once again you must log in to see the forum. Sorry but these guys don't give up.

[john e. holliday]

Nothing wrong with requiring people to register and maybe think of a little $$ to keep the forum on the good side of expenses.   

[pat king]

I would rather the slight inconvenience of having to log in each time to the problem of fighting extremely slow responses. Is it possible to limit "Guests" to 10 or 15 minutes time on the site if not logged in?
Pat

[Fred Underwood]

From the DDOS attack thread, per Robert

"One more thing. Some computers are not disconnecting on close. If I see a guest (and only a guest) Logged in and hung I will be disconnecting them from the server temporally. You have no idea what a pain this is but for the enjoyment of the MASS that's how it goes. So if your using Stunt Hangar, be sure to log in."