Adverts and website replaced?

Hosting Support
1

Website URL

https://www.specialbranch.info/

Error Message

Our landing page has been replaced. I can’t get in to manage our page to change it as it says another index has been put in. I am also getting a load of pop ups and adverts on the Infinity pages now, is that normal?

Other Information

The message also says using Web site pro will overwrite the current website? Does that mean my existing one or the one with the foreign landing page?

2

Welcome to the InfinityFree community forum! Good to have you here.

  • Most people answering here are volunteers. They’re often the fastest source of help. Admin (the only staff member) checks in about once a day for issues on our end.
  • Volunteers can’t see your account or website. Share what you actually see, like error messages and what happens when you try something. That’s more useful than your theory of what’s wrong.
  • AI tools often get InfinityFree wrong. If a volunteer’s advice differs from what an AI told you, please try the volunteer’s suggestion first.
  • Solving an issue is a joint effort. Try the suggestions you get and report back what happened.
4

Judging by your description, it sounds to me like somehow another index.php file got uploaded to your website that contains the popups and adverts. Your website looks fine now so I can’t see, but based on your description, it sounds like a typical defacing/prank site that a hacker might put on a website for fun.

The members area warns you if it looks like you may be overwriting an existing website. But if the “existing website” is a hacker’s page, then nothing is lost.

But overwriting that index.php is probably not sufficient to restore your website. If it was hacked, you need to properly root out any possible way the hacker could regain access. Meaning:

  • Reset your hosting account password, and members area password if you aren’t sure if it may have been compromised too.
  • Remove all files from your current website, then publish the website again from the site.pro builder. This is required to eliminate any hidden malware or backdoors that the hacker may have left behind.
5

Thank you. The adverts and pop ups are appearing on the infinity page not our website, sorry I didn’t make that clear. I did reestablish the website, but this morning you have put it on suspension due to too many hits, do you think that may be a DDos attack? I’m sure we wouldn’t hit the target normally?

6

That’s fairly normal. Because the hosting is free and doesn’t inject ads into your site, it’s paid for through the advertising space in the dashboard