Urgent help needed on WP

Discussion in 'WordPress' started by Crimebuster_of_the_Sea, Dec 4, 2011.

  1. #1
    About two hours ago I installed a theme on my blog: MasutolisoMagazine and since then I have been messing around with everything and setting it back up. I tried editing the footer and received the notification: 'This theme is sponsored, all links in the footer should remain intact' but since then I have been blocked out of WP and can't do a thing. Does anyone know how I can get back in. Even if you click the url to my site you get the same message - I'm freaking out right now.
     
    Crimebuster_of_the_Sea, Dec 4, 2011 IP
  2. tBirdNoNo

    tBirdNoNo Peon

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    #2
    If you have FTP access to the site, you can delete the MasutolisoMagazine theme and upload one of the default WP themes, like TwentyTen or TwentyEleven. That should get your site back online. However, you'll have some work to do.

    Unfortunately, free WP themes and sponsored WP themes often come with a few downsides - like you discovered. They'll intentionally lock you out of the site if you attempt to remove the sponsored links. Also, many free themes come with hidden, malicious code - generally used for inserting hidden links to porn, gambling and drug websites.

    In both instances, they're typically coded in something called Base64 - it's PHP code that hides the actual HTML - So you can't see the crappy websites they're trying to link to.

    To make sure this never happens again, install the WP plugin called TAC (Theme Authenticity Checker). This plugin scans all of your theme files for potentially malicious or unwanted code, including the infamous base64. If base64 is found in your theme, delete it ASAP. In fact, you should run this plugin if you purchased the theme or got the theme free.
     
    tBirdNoNo, Dec 4, 2011 IP
  3. Richie_Ni

    Richie_Ni Illustrious Member

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    #3
    Can you get into the admin panel and switch back to the default theme?
     
    Richie_Ni, Dec 4, 2011 IP
  4. jeterboy

    jeterboy Greenhorn

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    #4
    That is normal for free themes, if you know how to code php go to functions.php and you can find the line of code for that.
     
    jeterboy, Dec 4, 2011 IP
  5. backlynx

    backlynx Member

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    #5
    I just ran the Theme Authenticity Checker and it located a Base64 code in one of the themes I had installed on my site (I wasnt using the theme, but I bet that doesnt matter).
     
    backlynx, Dec 4, 2011 IP
  6. Crimebuster_of_the_Sea

    Crimebuster_of_the_Sea Notable Member

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    #6
    Well after hours of trying to sort it last night, the theme had well and truly ruined my site. I had to restore WP to be able to get in and now my website is just a shell.

    I still have all of the content I had in word, if I re-upload it would there be a duplicate content issue, or do I need to make sure the URLs match the last ones (I guess I can find this out using Copyscape).
     
    Crimebuster_of_the_Sea, Dec 5, 2011 IP
  7. mhovingh

    mhovingh Well-Known Member

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    #7
    Always backup your working site before making changes that affect coding (themes, plugins, etc).

    If your site was indexed and getting some traffic from search engines, it is probably worth your time to try and get the same URL's. As far as the duplicate content issue, it might take Google some time to realize it, but Google should sort it out and realize that your old URL's are no longer there.
     
    mhovingh, Dec 5, 2011 IP
  8. Crimebuster_of_the_Sea

    Crimebuster_of_the_Sea Notable Member

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    #8
    Yeah I'm using Copyscape to find the site url's and then making sure that they match when I re-upload the content. I will definitely make sure that I back it up when I've finished - this is going to take days!
     
    Crimebuster_of_the_Sea, Dec 5, 2011 IP
  9. mhovingh

    mhovingh Well-Known Member

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    #9
    Just in case you forget to do your backups, you might want to give this plugin a try: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/idrive-for-wordpress/

    It will do daily backups to an IDrive account: http://www.idrive.com/

    IDrive offers free accounts, up to 5GB, which should suit anyone who isn't running a really large WP site.

    There are other plugins out there that help you with backups, so take a look around and see what is offered. It could save you from another problem like this if you ever forget to do backups. Try to remember to do manual backups though whenever you change something so you have a local copy and know the exact status of your site when it was backed up.
     
    mhovingh, Dec 5, 2011 IP
  10. lamvt

    lamvt Active Member

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    #10
    lamvt, Dec 5, 2011 IP