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Freelancer Question

by Dave90210
14 replies
I just hired someone to do work on a site on my server and all he had to do is modify 1 files code and that's it! I woke up this morning I get this message on Skype.

[8/20/14, 2:28:15 AM] Programmer: please contact me at your earliest
[8/20/14, 6:52:57 AM] Programmer: today is wife's birthday
[8/20/14, 6:53:05 AM] Programmer: i have to step out for a bit
[8/20/14, 6:53:16 AM] Programmer: please tell me you have test directory backed up
[8/20/14, 6:53:22 AM] Programmer: if so ... please restore
[8/20/14, 6:53:25 AM] Programmer: ttyl

After getting this message I freaked out. I logged into my server and he deleted 100% of all the files in every single directory on my server! He deleted gigabytes of data!

I called my host and asked to see if I was hacked since the guy gave me no explanation. My host told me someone under the IP address and they gave me an IP logged in and setup a Bitcoin farm, the IP address was his IP address! They used my server to harvest Bitcoins!!!!! In the process they wiped out every single file on my server, destroyed everything!

So now this guy is probably getting drunk and having a blast at some party while I'm trying to restore my server, which is going to cost money!!!!!!!!

I told the guy free up the project because theirs no excuse for what he did and pay for all my server restore fees. I still haven't heard back from him. What if he says peace out I'm not doing anything and I'm stuck with a open project he destroyed?

Also how do I warn everyone that he's a hacker on Freelancer and protect everyone? Also how do I give him snegative feedback without him getting revengeful and give me negative feedback?

*Update he got back to me and apologized and said he probably has a virus on his computer. He paid me $15 for the backup restore fee for my server. It's still going to be interesting to see what happened after the investigation from Hostgator.
#freelancer #question
  • Profile picture of the author Sarevok
    [DELETED]
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    • Profile picture of the author Dave90210
      I don't want revenge I just want to leave the guy negative feedback and warn Freelancer about this guy. Also I want to free up my account so I can hire someone else once my server is fixed

      Originally Posted by Sarevok View Post

      Holy crap man.

      As someone who's a paranoid IT security freak...

      I always get sad when I see people suggesting how "easy" it is to outsource web development + software development.

      I guess they haven't seen the shady stuff that I've seen... (Man I have stories you guys wouldn't believe).

      Sorry to hear about your bad luck boss.

      I would forget about "seeking revenge", just get your house in order, and be very careful when giving anyone backdoor access to any of your material, and same goes for anyone who develops any of your stuff.

      If you feel as though you should speak out about your bad experience to the freelancer community, certainly exercise those options.

      Though, proving wrongdoing, and dealing with negative blowback are variables of consideration. (It might be better to just fix your website, and move on).

      It's a philosophical debate I think.
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    • Profile picture of the author TheCardMaker
      That sucks AND blows, sorry to hear that story

      It takes a lot of strength to disregard being treated that way by someone, I hope you can find it and move on. Sickening how evil people can be

      Trust is a valuable thing, can you not hook up with someone technical from this forum? From the programming section say?
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  • Profile picture of the author CyberAlien
    If he just needed to edit one file - why'd you give him root access to the entire server? Which would be needed for him to delete everything from the entire server...

    Just contact Freelancer.com staff if you want to notify them.
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  • Profile picture of the author experting facebook
    Contact Freelancer support or make a dispute, they will close the project and you can then post a negative/warning feedback so all people can know
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  • Profile picture of the author Dave90210
    The guy messaged me back and apologized and said he might have a virus on his computer and he allowed me to cancel the project to find someone else. My server admins are doing an investigation so hopefully they will find out exactly what happened. Maybe he was at the wrong place at the wrong time when the server got hacked?
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  • Profile picture of the author mdbillalbd
    Is there any bad relation with the freelancer? Why he will delete all data ? Is there another reason? I am working as a freelancer. I know why a freelancer work for his client. Only for money . there is no doubt about it. If I can serve you good, you will give me money, bonus & a good feedback. Every freelancer wants this from any clients. Is he hacker?
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    • Profile picture of the author Dave90210
      Not at all! I awarded him the project on Freelancer he had perfect feedback, told him what needed to be done gave him login details and thats it. I woke up and everything on my server was history.

      He told me he went into cpanel and created a FTP account just for him even though I gave him a FTP account that worked just fine for the directory I needed work in. It appears he made a FTP account that had access to the whole server! He said he might have a virus on my computer and it wiped out everything and made the server into a Bitcoin farm! Something doesn't add up right


      Originally Posted by mdbillalbd View Post

      Is there any bad relation with the freelancer? Why he will delete all data ? Is there another reason? I am working as a freelancer. I know why a freelancer work for his client. Only for money . there is no doubt about it. If I can serve you good, you will give me money, bonus & a good feedback. Every freelancer wants this from any clients. Is he hacker?
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      • Profile picture of the author CyberAlien
        Originally Posted by Dave90210 View Post

        Not at all! I awarded him the project on Freelancer he had perfect feedback, told him what needed to be done gave him login details and thats it. I woke up and everything on my server was history.

        He told me he went into cpanel and created a FTP account just for him even though I gave him a FTP account that worked just fine for the directory I needed work in. It appears he made a FTP account that had access to the whole server! He said he might have a virus on my computer and it wiped out everything and made the server into a Bitcoin farm! Something doesn't add up right
        That would be impossible. You can't create FTP accounts in cPanel that give root access to the entire server.

        Also, you would have to give him the cPanel login information for him to access cPanel. He can't access that with an FTP account.

        When you say your "whole server" are you meaning to say your "whole website" that's actually on shared hosting?
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        • Profile picture of the author Dave90210
          With the Cpanel access I did give him he can access every single directory of files on my shared server. He created a FTP account that had access to the root directory on my account. Somehow he deleted every single file on my portion of the shared server.

          I gave him access to the Cpanel so he would have access to the databases he might need to edit. I only gave him access in the ftp to the directory that had one of the add-on domain names files. He went above and beyond what he was supposed to do and created a new user account through cpanel and gave that user access to all directories on my shared portion of the server.

          Seems like if he didn't plan something sinister theirs no reason in the world to have access to all files and folder in my account other than the directory i gave him access to


          Originally Posted by Escalate Internet View Post

          That would be impossible. You can't create FTP accounts in cPanel that give root access to the entire server.

          Also, you would have to give him the cPanel login information for him to access cPanel. He can't access that with an FTP account.

          When you say your "whole server" are you meaning to say your "whole website" that's actually on shared hosting?
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  • Profile picture of the author elusian
    As someone who had one of her main sites hacked, I sympathize. Revenge is not the answer. Ensuring it does not happen again is.
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    [$1000 Commissions] Watch this webinar to find out how to earn $1000 Commissions straight to Your Paypal Account.. http://www.BUYDFYCOM
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  • Profile picture of the author internetmarketer1
    I'm glad it somewhat worked out in the end. Glad he also paid $15 bucks. I think you should wait and see what happens now before you go on trying to get revenge or anything.
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    Tired of Google?! Exhausted from all the rehashed trash?!
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    • Profile picture of the author Dave90210
      I never said I was going to get revenge I said if I give him negative feedback and he's a hacker I don't want him getting revenge on me for the negative feedback

      Originally Posted by internetmarketer1 View Post

      I'm glad it somewhat worked out in the end. Glad he also paid $15 bucks. I think you should wait and see what happens now before you go on trying to get revenge or anything.
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  • Profile picture of the author Alaister
    Hi Dave,

    Send a support ticket to support@freelancer.com
    Feel free to PM me with your ticket ID and I will pass this onto one of our customer support team leaders to investigate and take care of.

    Originally Posted by Dave90210 View Post

    I just hired someone to do work on a site on my server and all he had to do is modify 1 files code and that's it! I woke up this morning I get this message on Skype.

    [8/20/14, 2:28:15 AM] Programmer: please contact me at your earliest
    [8/20/14, 6:52:57 AM] Programmer: today is wife's birthday
    [8/20/14, 6:53:05 AM] Programmer: i have to step out for a bit
    [8/20/14, 6:53:16 AM] Programmer: please tell me you have test directory backed up
    [8/20/14, 6:53:22 AM] Programmer: if so ... please restore
    [8/20/14, 6:53:25 AM] Programmer: ttyl

    After getting this message I freaked out. I logged into my server and he deleted 100% of all the files in every single directory on my server! He deleted gigabytes of data!

    I called my host and asked to see if I was hacked since the guy gave me no explanation. My host told me someone under the IP address and they gave me an IP logged in and setup a Bitcoin farm, the IP address was his IP address! They used my server to harvest Bitcoins!!!!! In the process they wiped out every single file on my server, destroyed everything!

    So now this guy is probably getting drunk and having a blast at some party while I'm trying to restore my server, which is going to cost money!!!!!!!!

    I told the guy free up the project because theirs no excuse for what he did and pay for all my server restore fees. I still haven't heard back from him. What if he says peace out I'm not doing anything and I'm stuck with a open project he destroyed?

    Also how do I warn everyone that he's a hacker on Freelancer and protect everyone? Also how do I give him snegative feedback without him getting revengeful and give me negative feedback?

    *Update he got back to me and apologized and said he probably has a virus on his computer. He paid me $15 for the backup restore fee for my server. It's still going to be interesting to see what happened after the investigation from Hostgator.
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  • Profile picture of the author alaynaaleah
    I am really astonished to hear the hateful even by the freelancer. I hate this kinds of freelancer. But I doubt why he will do this? If it is fully responsible to the freelancer, you need to stands against the freelancer.
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