Turkish Hackers and backup options
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Category: Web Wiz Web App Support Forums
Forum Name: Web Wiz Forums
Forum Description: Support forum for Web Wiz Forums application.
URL: https://forums.webwiz.net/forum_posts.asp?TID=17124
Printed Date: 18 April 2026 at 1:36am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.08 - https://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Turkish Hackers and backup options
Posted By: JJLatWebWiz
Subject: Turkish Hackers and backup options
Date Posted: 02 November 2005 at 6:29pm
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With all http://forums.webwiz.net/search.asp?KW=turkish+hacker&SM=1&SI=PT&FM=0&OB=1 - the talk about Turkish Hackers , I decided to work on an inexpensive system to perform automatic backups and change notification. I've been using a program called http://www.lockstep.com/products/webagain/wa-product.html - WebAgain from Lockstep that is very good at maintaining a backup of my hosted site on my office computer and then comparing the current site to the backup. The only problem with it is the cost; $995 USD! Not something most of us are willing cough up considering the fact that $995 would pay for most of our hosting services for a decade.
Well, in my research prior to jumping into this, I stumbled across an interesting little program called http://remote-backup.com/siteshelter/ - SiteShelter from Remote Backup Systems . It's almost a functional equivalent to WebAgain, but sells for only $49 dollars! I've only had it for a day and while the tests have gone well, I'm not ready to completely abandon my personal project. I was planning to offer my program for free with no support, but at 50 bucks for a much more fully developed program, my project is probably dead. From what I have seen so far, I highly recommend this program. First of all, it has 4 operating modes, one of which is a "Repair" mode. In this mode, if it detects any file changes or deletions, SiteShelter will revert the change and quarantine the modified file. One glaring difference between WebAgain and SiteShelter though is what they each do with NEW files. Whereas SiteShelter seems to merely note the new file and notify the Admin, WebAgain will actually remove the new file and also offers you a very easy means to make that new file part of the authorized "image", for lack of a better term. You can have multiple processes scheduled, and this is what I'm testing now: a daily "backup" keeping the last 10 versions, and then a simple "watch" every 15 minutes that will notify me if anything changes compared to the most recent backup. The "repair" mode did detect a simple change to an image file and reverted the change after downloading and quarantining the modified file. Use "mirror" mode at your own risk. Don't touch it unless you really understand the warnings they popup. This program seems to be just what many of us have needed. Did mention that WebAgain is $995 PER web site?! ------------- p.s. I'm not affiliated with Web Wiz Guide in any way. I'm just an average Web Wiz user repaying my debt for the use of their fine forum by trying to help other Web Wiz Guide users. |
Replies:
Posted By: Ali Bilgrami
Date Posted: 03 November 2005 at 7:48am
NO u did not  ohh and thaks for the info :) highly appriciated
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Posted By: dfrancis
Date Posted: 03 November 2005 at 9:23am
 Yes, thank you!!
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Posted By: JJLatWebWiz
Date Posted: 09 November 2005 at 1:40pm
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A little followup:
I've been using SiteShelter for a little over a week, and I gotta tell ya...even though there has been no hacker activity, I feel a great sense of comfort knowing my sites are backed up on a regular basis and changes are being noted. It's not perfect, but 100% better than no backup at all and well worth the 50 bucks for the peace of mind. The main problem I have so far is that it email notifies me EVERY time it completes any scheduled operation. Because of that, I've settled for a weekly "backup" and a daily "watch". Each time I make a change to the forum files, I run the "backup", which only updates the changed files and archives the previous version. 
The company fixed an error popup that would pause the operation until "OK" was clicked. And they sound responsive to my suggestion that the email notification have the option to only email if an error or change is detected. If anyone else buys this software, send the company a message saying how the program would be more useful with that option. I still have a preference for WebAgain, but can't justify the $2000 premium for the marginally easier protection of the 2 sites I'm now backing up for $50. ------------- p.s. I'm not affiliated with Web Wiz Guide in any way. I'm just an average Web Wiz user repaying my debt for the use of their fine forum by trying to help other Web Wiz Guide users. |