Entries remove because of SQL inject hack

[whats_up_skip]

It appears that three entries in the DMOZ for our domain have been removed. The listing that have been removed were all affected by the two SQL inject hack/attack that we suffered recently. The other entries from our domain that remain in the DMOZ were not "index" or "default" and so were not damaged by the attack.

 

Is there a plan to automatically recheck and re-insert all the entries that were removed because of this hack? (This would have impacted on many sites).

 

Edit/Update:

After further research I have found that two of the three entries removed, were removed prior to any known issues with the hacking/attack. They were in the DMOZ for 5th Feb 2008 release and not in the 4th of March, 2008 release.

 

The only common thread with the three listing removed is now that they were "index" or "default" files.

 

Any ideas would be great.

[pvgool]

There can be several reasons for a listing to be removed.

1) one of our automated linkcheckers noticed a problem and moved it out of public sight for an editor to look at (the problem must have existed for a week ast the tool only unlist a site after it found the error twice)

2) an editor noticed a technical problem with the site and moverd it out of public sight for further investigation

3) the listing was inappropriate and was removed by an editor (either the site changed or our guidelines changed, or it should never have been listed in the first place)

4) the listing was inappropriatie for the category it was listed in, an editor moved it to a better category where it is now waiting review

[whats_up_skip]

I checked the timings of the removal of the entries and they were before the SQL inject hacking event.

 

It seems very unusual to have three listing removed all around the same time after they had been listed for so long.

 

I have not been able to obtain any explanation from the editors that removed the listings.

Should I refer this to the abuse area/system?

[shadow575]

I checked the timings of the removal of the entries and they were before the SQL inject hacking event.

As was previously mentioned, there can be many reasons that a site (or sites) can be unreviewed. The removal could be temporary, such as during a relocation or reorganization or it could be permanent in the case of the sites no longer being listable.

 

It seems very unusual to have three listing removed all around the same time after they had been listed for so long.

Again length of time previously listed, does not guarantee a site will be listable going forward. And removal of multiple sites at or around the same time is not all that unusual, depending on the circumstances. Editors are generally discouraged from responding to such feedback, as it usually ends badly and rarely has any positive results.

 

I have not been able to obtain any explanation from the editors that removed the listings.

It would be very difficult (nearly impossible) to determine which of the over 200 possible editors in a given category performed each of the removals. Its also not likely that an editor would respond to feedback regarding the listings of specific sites.

 

Should I refer this to the abuse area/system?

If you have some evidence that actual abuse has occurred you should file an abuse report that includes the proof/evidence that editorial abuse has occurred. The removal of a site or sites is not by its self evidence of abuse though. http://report-abuse.dmoz.org/faq will help explain what constitutes abuse.