Web Wiz Forums - Who Did It? Admin or moderator!!

Print Page | Close Window

Who Did It? Admin or moderator!!

Printed From: Web Wiz Forums
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=29260
Printed Date: 01 April 2026 at 12:11pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.08 - https://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Who Did It? Admin or moderator!!

Posted By: KEEF
Subject: Who Did It? Admin or moderator!!
Date Posted: 18 April 2011 at 2:01pm

Hi all, this is my first post so I will keep it brief.

I can't give the version for now as I'm not at home so don't have my passwords!

Anyway, recently on a forum that I administer there has been a change in one users rank and title. This is causing all sorts of grief and what I need to know is does the forum keep a log of activity at a higher level such as mod and admin actions?

I suspect either someone isn't being entirely honest or there has been a breach of security.

Thanks in advance, KEEF

Replies:

Posted By: WebWiz-Bruce
Date Posted: 18 April 2011 at 2:55pm

If the Group is part of the ladder system the member will move up groups depending on the number of posts they have made.

For example on this forum you start in the 'Newbie' group and once you have 40 posts you move to the 'Groupie' group.

Admin and Moderator actions are not recorded by default but can be enabled by editing the includes/setup_options_inc.asp file which will then record these actions within log files.

-------------
https://www.webwiz.net/web-wiz-forums/forum-hosting.htm" rel="nofollow - Web Wiz Forums Hosting
https://www.webwiz.net/web-hosting/windows-web-hosting.htm" rel="nofollow - ASP.NET Web Hosting

Posted By: KEEF
Date Posted: 18 April 2011 at 3:21pm

Thanks Bruce, sorry but I didn't make myself very clear.

This user was 'downgraded' 1 step, his member title was also erased. I believe this was deliberate but I currently have no way to prove it.

I will examine the includes/setup_options_inc.asp file when I get home. If it's not enabled can you explain how I may do this? and if it is enabled what are the log files called and where will I find them?

Thanks.

Posted By: 123Simples
Date Posted: 18 April 2011 at 3:55pm

Hi Keef

If you look at the file includes/setup_options_inc.asp, on lines 70 to 84, you will see this by default:

'Logging
'Web Wiz Forums is able to create log files of actions, activity, and errors. However this WILL effect performance so be careful what you enable logging for.
'Logging requires that the folder storing log files has read, write, and modify permissions for the IUSR account in order for Web Wiz Forums to create and write to log files.
'SECURITY ALERT: MAKE SURE THAT YOU MOVE THE LOG FILE LOCATION TO A FOLDER NOT ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
Const blnLoggingEnabled = False        'Enable logging
Dim strLogFileLocation
strLogFileLocation = Server.MapPath("log_files")     'Default log file folder, change this to a folder outside your website root if you don't want logs files to be public

Const blnModeratorLogging = True     'Log the actions of moderators
Const blnErrorLogging = True        'Log error messages
Const blnNewRegistrationLogging = True     'Log new registrations

Const blnCreatePostLogging = False     'Log the creating of new topics and posts (Don't enable this on busy forums)
Const blnEditPostLogging = False     'Log the editing of topics and posts (Don't enable this on busy forums)
Const blnDeletePostLogging = False     'Log the deletion of topics and posts

To enable logging of actions, I would recommend setting up a folder outside the wwwroot directory, name it forum-log-files

And then edit the file setup options like so:

'Logging
'Web Wiz Forums is able to create log files of actions, activity, and errors. However this WILL effect performance so be careful what you enable logging for.
'Logging requires that the folder storing log files has read, write, and modify permissions for the IUSR account in order for Web Wiz Forums to create and write to log files.
'SECURITY ALERT: MAKE SURE THAT YOU MOVE THE LOG FILE LOCATION TO A FOLDER NOT ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
Const blnLoggingEnabled = True        'Enable logging
Dim strLogFileLocation
strLogFileLocation = Server.MapPath("log_files")     'Default log file folder, change this to a folder outside your website root if you don't want logs files to be public

Const blnModeratorLogging = True     'Log the actions of moderators
Const blnErrorLogging = True        'Log error messages
Const blnNewRegistrationLogging = True     'Log new registrations

Const blnCreatePostLogging = False     'Log the creating of new topics and posts (Don't enable this on busy forums)
Const blnEditPostLogging = False     'Log the editing of topics and posts (Don't enable this on busy forums)
Const blnDeletePostLogging = True    'Log the deletion of topics and posts

Where I've highlighted in bold red, change that depending on how your forum is placed in the website. ../../forum-log-files

-------------
http://www.123simples.com/" rel="nofollow - Visit 123 Simples Web Design

Posted By: KEEF
Date Posted: 18 April 2011 at 4:10pm

Thanks MrTWS, a quickie question or two. If the log_files is a true destination on the server then I would assume it is already enabled so it would be a simple process of viewing it. If it is default as you have shown above and I create a new path for it, will the log_files be created automatically or will I have to do it first before it can be written to?

Edit to add: will this also log actions of Administrators or can I add that string if needed?

Posted By: WebWiz-Bruce
Date Posted: 18 April 2011 at 4:57pm

By default the forum folder 'log_files' would store your forums log files, but as this will be a publicaly accessible folder these files could be downloaded by any one.

This means that you should create a new folder outside of your web root only accessible via FTP, that has read, write, and modify permissions, so that the folder can be written to. Then update the part mrTWS shows in red to include the path to the new folder you have created for your forum log files.

The blnModeratorLogging will record moderator actions of both moderators and admins.

-------------
https://www.webwiz.net/web-wiz-forums/forum-hosting.htm" rel="nofollow - Web Wiz Forums Hosting
https://www.webwiz.net/web-hosting/windows-web-hosting.htm" rel="nofollow - ASP.NET Web Hosting

Posted By: KEEF
Date Posted: 18 April 2011 at 5:37pm

Ok, sorry i seem to have got into the wrong area. I am home now and have just found my forum version is 8.05

To add to this topic, my setup_options_inc.asp file does not have the text above or anything like it so I suppose there will not be any record of past events.

Can the file be modified with the later text or is that not a good idea?

Posted By: 123Simples
Date Posted: 18 April 2011 at 5:50pm

Hi Keef

When you login to your Website Panel, you click on File Manager, and then select the website that you are working on. As an example you would initially see something like this -

Up the top click Create Folder

And call that folder whatever you would like - it might be better to keep it something simple though like forum_log_files

Now you will have this -

Obviously wwwroot is the folder that has your website files in, and then edit the includes/setup_options_inc.asp file to your particular settings. I hope that helps

-------------
http://www.123simples.com/" rel="nofollow - Visit 123 Simples Web Design

Posted By: WebWiz-Bruce
Date Posted: 18 April 2011 at 5:52pm

You would need to upgrade to the latest version. The logging tools discussed where only included around 9.60.

You would not be able to back port the logging to 8.05, without allot of work as the logging is integrated in to many files and places within the forum system.

-------------
https://www.webwiz.net/web-wiz-forums/forum-hosting.htm" rel="nofollow - Web Wiz Forums Hosting
https://www.webwiz.net/web-hosting/windows-web-hosting.htm" rel="nofollow - ASP.NET Web Hosting

Posted By: 123Simples
Date Posted: 18 April 2011 at 5:53pm

KEEF wrote:

Ok, sorry i seem to have got into the wrong area. I am home now and have just found my forum version is 8.05

To add to this topic, my setup_options_inc.asp file does not have the text above or anything like it so I suppose there will not be any record of past events.

Can the file be modified with the later text or is that not a good idea?

Version 8.05 is very old now and the best advice would be for you to upgrade to the latest most stable version, but be warned, the changes from how 8.05 looks as compared to the latest 9.71 will make the forum look quite different. However, I prefer the visual appearance of the latest software, and more importantly, you will be securing the forum against vulnerabilities that probably exist on that older version for sure

-------------
http://www.123simples.com/" rel="nofollow - Visit 123 Simples Web Design

Posted By: KEEF
Date Posted: 18 April 2011 at 5:56pm

Thanks again for prompt reply. I'm ok with creating new folders etc but as I am using an older version (8.05) will the changes to the setup_options_inc.asp still work?

Also, can I do this on a 'Live' forum? as I don't want to take it offline if I don't have to!

Posted By: KEEF
Date Posted: 18 April 2011 at 5:58pm

Aha, thanks Bruce and MrTWS, it seems my situation would be best handled with an upgrade. I will report back to the people who pay the bills and see how they react.

By the way, what is the cost to upgrade to v9.71?

Posted By: 123Simples
Date Posted: 18 April 2011 at 5:59pm

KEEF wrote:

Thanks again for prompt reply. I'm ok with creating new folders etc but as I am using an older version (8.05) will the changes to the setup_options_inc.asp still work?

Also, can I do this on a 'Live' forum? as I don't want to take it offline if I don't have to!

WebWizBruce wrote:

Short answer no. You would really need to take the plunge and run an upgrade, however there are options to running one in place, as I did a similar upgrade project for a forum member a while back

-------------
http://www.123simples.com/" rel="nofollow - Visit 123 Simples Web Design

Posted By: 123Simples
Date Posted: 18 April 2011 at 6:29pm

KEEF wrote:

Aha, thanks Bruce and MrTWS, it seems my situation would be best handled with an upgrade. I will report back to the people who pay the bills and see how they react.

By the way, what is the cost to upgrade to v9.71?

You should contact sales to check to see what the upgrade options would be. http://www.webwiz.net/contact/contact-sales.htm" rel="nofollow - LINK

-------------
http://www.123simples.com/" rel="nofollow - Visit 123 Simples Web Design

Posted By: billd3
Date Posted: 19 April 2011 at 12:52pm

He did an upgrade for us, went very smoothly. We were barely down at all. All the prep work was done ahead, everything documented, and the log folder moved to a safer place.
There have been no negatives since the upgrade.

My guess is he'll be involved in the next upgrade as well..................

Between Bruce and MrTWS, etc. - you can trust it will be right. Bruce doesn't like things "hacked" and is a security nut - this is a very secure forum set. It helped that those involved are in the UK, and we are in the states - so the upgrade happened while many members slept (although from the looks at our post times, I think some members NEVER sleep!)

-------------
BillD
http://theamcpages.com
http://theamcforum.com

Posted By: 123Simples
Date Posted: 19 April 2011 at 7:45pm

Thanks Bill
Hope all is well with you out there - I will catch up with you soon

-------------
http://www.123simples.com/" rel="nofollow - Visit 123 Simples Web Design