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Can I recover from just the php database?

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Matt T
2011-05-05
2013-05-30
  • Matt T

    Matt T - 2011-05-05

    My site was hacked through a phpgedview exploit, and all i have left of my site is the mysql databases.

    Obviously media, customizations, etc, are gone, but can i recover the tree itself?

     
  • Stephen Arnold

    Stephen Arnold - 2011-05-05

    Assuming you failed to update when we told you to do so?
    Sure, do an install of the SVN code and use the same DB and same prefix and it should be fine - or do a datadump via phpMySql and reimport into a new installation (and even new DB) but this is not necessary.

    Some data may be corrupted from the hack, and privacy is a huge issue from being 'exposed'.
    -Stephen

     
  • Matt T

    Matt T - 2011-05-05

    This all happened early January before the exploit had been advertised. I had no idea how they had gotten in, except that my site was attacked from another family history site (thank you PGV logs!) and was attacked a couple of years ago through another PGV exploit, so I locked down my entire site and haven't had the heart to go back and pick up the pieces until now.

    I will definitely attempt a re-install. My previous backup was six months old, so anything that can be recovered is worth the effort.

    Thanks!

     
  • Gerry Kroll

    Gerry Kroll - 2011-05-07

    What version were you running before things fell apart?

     
  • Stephen Arnold

    Stephen Arnold - 2011-05-07

    Gerry brings up an excellent point.

    What version were you running before things fell apart?

    To avoid any DB issues, you should first install whatever version you were using, and then upgrade that installation. You could do that on a local machine as well (that's what I would do) by using the downloaded datadump on a new local install of the original version, upgrade your local installation and let it make all the DB changes (if you were using anything before 4.2.1 AFAIRC, and then transfer the datadump back to your online server.  This is a bit more effort, but should leave you with better control over the upgrade process and recovery of the data.
    -Stephen

     

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