Customer Service at its Finest
Filed under: Everyday
I am forever looking to challenge my abilities, I am not any sort of great programming genius but I think I have a decent understanding of how websites and databases work. I decided to test my abilities on creating a Wiki style site on some spare webspace I had kicking around. All went smooth and I even created a crafty little logo you see on the right to tope it off (the logo is for my favorite co-worker). Within an hour I had the site up and running and all looked great.
Two days later I attempt to login and notice that the site is down, after a quick investigation I find that the entire database was gone, not cleared I mean gone, tables and all. I was not really concerned since it was it for fun, but I found it disturbing that it just up and walked away.
I decided to contact the web-host to see if they can determine what had happened; I don’t mind rebuilding it, I can use the practice, I am simply concerned if I had left a hole in the security for some little 14 year old Russian hacker to walk right through.
This is when the fun begins; I contacted my host via their Live Chat option to see if I could get some answers. Below I have enclosed the chat log in its original, unaltered format. NOTICE: All of the names have been changed to protect the incompetent.
Please wait for a site operator to respond.
You are now chatting with ‘Agent.’ (Agent name here.)
Agent.: Thank you for contacting IPOWER Live Chat. How can I help you?
Me: Hi, I had created a “Wiki” page the other day with a matching DB… I log in today and the DB is gone?
Me: I looked in the PHP admin and not only are the contents and tables gone, but the entire DB is gone. can you see any history?
Agent.: Hello Me
Agent.: I’ll be happy to assist you.
Me: thanks
Me: one other thing I have noticed is that the option to create a new DB in the phpmyadmin says no privalges.
Agent.: Ok
Agent.: Is this regarding your domain xxxxxxxx.com?
Me: yes, it was located in the path xxxxxxxx.com/wiki.. The files are there and have not been changed, but it appears the DB is missing
5 minute pause
Agent.: Thank you for waiting. I’ll be with you in just a moment.
Agent.: Ok
Agent.: Please provide me username and the password for phpmyadmin
Me: xxxxxxxx — xxxxxxx
Agent.: Ok please allow me a moment
Me: ok
5 minute pause
Agent.: I have checked in database section it seems that there is no database you have created in database section
Agent.: You need to create database under the database section
Me: scroll to the top of the conversation;
Me: I had created the DB and it was working fine for 48 hours
Me: I connect this morning and find it is not there.
Agent.: I’m sorry for the delay. I’ll be right with you.
5 minute pause
Me: ok
Agent.: There is no database in database section
Me: yes, that is why I am here…. follow me on this one… there was one there, until today
Me: my question to you is not whether one exists or not (i know that answer)…
Agent.: Ok
Me: my question is can you see what had happened in the last 48 hours to a database called xxxxxxxx_wikidb
Agent.: Do you have backup of your database at your local end?
Me: no, if I did I would restore it… My concern is what had happened to it, was it a security breach, did someone delete it? or are there any technical issues we are not seeing
Me: look into the logs to see where it went please
Me: in your logs can you tell if it got hacked, removed or if elfes took it away?
Agent.: I will be right with you.
5 minute pause
Me: ok
Agent.: I’m sorry for the delay. I’ll be right with you.
Agent.: I suggest you to please keep changing the password, so that nobody can hack your site and upload and delete the files.
Agent.: Also you can restore the backup of your database
Me: do you have a back up available?
Me: let me spell this out in detail…
Agent.: Ok
Me: I am familiar with databases and security, I am also familiar with daily back ups
Agent.: Ok
Me: My question is “not” what I could have done, nor what I should have done. My question is what had transpired in the last 24-48 hours.
Agent.: Please provide me your contact eamil address so that I will provide you details regarding your issue
Me: xxxxxxxx@gmail.com
Me: what will be in that email?
5 minute pause
Agent.: Ok you will get details regarding this at your email address xxxxxxxx@gmail.com very soon from now
Agent.: Is there anything else I can help you with?
Me: wait, before you brush me off here, answer my question; can you tell what had happened (in detail) to the database?
5 minute pause
Me: are you still with me, or are you tending to other chats?
Agent.: Yes
Me: can you answer my questions, or is this beyond the chat room capabilities?
Agent.: Ok
Me: ok what? what does OK mean; do you think this is some kind of joke, you know I dont care about the content of the DB, my concern is what happened to it.. I can build another, heck I can build 50. I just want to know if there is a hole in the security, or if there is a log of the actions in the last 24-48 hours so I can find it.
Agent.: Ok
Agent.: Me I need to investigate your issue with our senior techs
Me: ok
5 minute pause
Agent.: I will investigate your issue and provide you details regarding your issue very soon from now
Agent.: So please allow us some time
Agent.: Is there anything else I can help you with?
Me: and how will I get this information?
Agent.: You will receive email at xxxxxxxx@gmail.com regarding your issue
Me: about how long can I expect to receive this said email oh great Oricle?
Agent.: You should receive details very soon from now
Agent.: I have updated your issue to our senior techs
Me: the term soon is quite loose, and I can see I have touched a nerve. soon = a week a month, a day.. and if this has been escalated to the senior techs, what is the ticket number you have created so I have some sort of tracking?
Agent.: In next few hours you will receive email
Me: thank you, I look forward to it.
at this point I just wanted to have fun with him, so I figured I would turn the tables to add a bit more confusion
Me: is there anything else I can do for you today?
Agent.: No you will receive details via email
Me: ok great, thanks for using live chat and choosing iPowerweb.
Agent.: Enjoy your day.
Agent.: Good-bye.
Me: you too come again.
Thank you iPowerweb for making this the most painful 30 minute conversation in my life.
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