PPRune Acting up May 24 - blocking some countries

[cavuman1]

I have experienced inability to login to this site today (25/5/2018) from 1300 Zulu until just now. I was getting a Cloudflare 521 error. I was able to access the main Forum Page, but any attempt to access a sub forum resulted in the aforementioned error message. Of concern was the fact that ARRSE was down as well. I wonder if the transatlantic cable is severed and if any other PPRuNers have had the same difficulty today. :(

- Ed

Perhaps this offers a clue:Error

Offline

ARRSE and NN are offline because of a major power outage in the data centre containing the beating heart of the two sites - the database server. Yes, we know that there should be failover, disaster recovery and so on, but this is not a major bank that you're dealing with here.There's pretty much nothing that we can do at the moment except wait, along with thousands of other tennants in the affected data centres.More news when we have it, or more likely it will just work again at some point. Hopefully.

Web server is down

[lomapaseo]

I suddenly could not access PPRune during my day for a while. When I finally did get through I got some messages about browsers needed checking and then the page was only partly loaded until I did a refresh.

Any news on the problem being on my end only or generic?

[golfbananajam]

not just you #metoo

[VP959]

Same things happening to me, it takes several attempts to get a page to load, with a constant stream of "database error" messages coming up now. Before that error screen I often get a Cloudflare "checking your browser" message, which always then results in the "database error" message, which seems to be coming from the forum software itself, as it mentions that the administrators already know about the problem.

[FantomZorbin]

Me as well :(

[core_dump]

Me as well. It looks like the forum PHP code is having trouble connecting to the mysql database, as the error is being generated in response to a failed mysqli_real_connect() call.

The interesting question (to me) is why CloudFlare DDoS protection is kicking in. Maybe just as a result of the HTTP 503 & 520 errors that CloudFlare is seeing coming from the forum? But a real attack could certainly cause mysql connection issues simply due to concurrent connection limits, etc. Of it could be all the folks reloading the page trying to get it to work! Heh.

[JAVELINBOY]

Busters picture in this weeks Capcom is missing, it must have been there judging by the numbers of entries but I don't see a picture. Previous Capcom pictures are displaying. Is it me or is there something wrong?

[cattletruck]

I've been seeing similar errors that appear more like DNS problems than database server errors.

On the 1st of April, 2018, Cloudflare in partnership with APNIC released recursive DNS servers 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1 (see https://1.1.1.1 for the story), perhaps they are using it in their own network for services like this. Both IP addresses of 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1 come with historical baggage that Cloudflare is trying to steer away from to make it useful again.

[Passenger 389]

On May 24, around 1800 GMT, encountered what appears to be same issue (displayed a page headlined "database error" and stated "The PPRuNe Forums database has encountered a problem").

A check using https://downforeveryoneorjustme.com/ (https://downforeveryoneorjustme.com/) indicated the site appeared to be down.

Happened again at midnight GMT on May 28-29, 2018. Given the hour, wasn't sure if site undergoing planned maintenance, or ??? I didn't try again until hours later, so can't speak to duration of the most recent apparent outage. Site administrators almost certainly aware of issue, so this is simply for benefit of anyone else who encountered that error message. It isn't just you.

[Luke SkyToddler]

"The owner of this website (www.pprune.org) has banned the country or region your IP address is in (VN) from accessing this website"

Can only access by VPN now

Seriously PPRUNE management, are our posts THAT bad? :{

[VP959]

It was happening again on and off this morning, between around 10:00 and 12:00 GMT, very roughly. Same database error message as before, but this time the glitch seemed to be very sporadic.

[dook]

Sight ? sight ?......

[Kulverstukas]

What's wrong? I'm logged on and on my home computer, definitely without ant virus treats and at static IP. But any move - forum change, page reload, truing to answer post - oops and page with Captcha protection fires on me.​​​​​​​

https://i.imgur.com/dpskuvm.png

[Bob Lenahan]

Using Firefox. Added the Privacy Pass. Seems to work okay.
Bob.

[IBobi]

Be sure your browser accepts and does not delete cookies.

[IBobi]

Any ongoing issues?

[esa-aardvark]

Ongoing issues - yes since about 3 days I get a panel from Pprune on each
new screen and have to click I agree all the time.

[IBobi]

Ongoing issues - yes since about 3 days I get a panel from Pprune on each
new screen and have to click I agree all the time.
Did you

log out and back in
clear browser cache
ensure your browser accepts and doesn't delete cookies
turn off ad block
?

If so, tell us

your device type?
browser and version?
mobile skin or desktop?
Are you logging in from overseas (i.e. European IP)? Did you ACCEPT the PPRuNe terms of service (https://www.pprune.org/pprune-problems-queries/609132-gdpr-compliance-notice.html) when they popped up?
Thank you

[cavuman1]

Dear IBobi, I have had further difficulties accessing this site today. I got a Cloudflare Error 521 message repeatedly from 1600-1900Z. I have complied with the steps you kindly suggested above. I will attempt deeper diagnostics when and if the problem resurfaces.

- Ed

[ea200]

Had most of these problems intermittently over the last few days. Now when I use wifi here in Budapest I get a message saying access from Hungary IP address is refused?? It was ok this morning. No problem with mobile data.

[EagleA25]

It's usually whisky with me !!
Ha; me too...
but this pretty much tells you everything you need to know about this place...
is it confirmed it’s web host or is it just banned by Vietnam’s ISP’s (controlled by the Red Overlord, of course)..."
Seriously PPRUNE management, are our posts THAT bad? :{


They are just TOO true ;)

[jimtherev]

Me too! In my case (twice since redesigned software) a crash and a BSOD. Only twice happened before since I loaded Windows 7 - and come to think of it, those were both caused by inserting faulty memory sticks.
Also getting a black screen between pages from time to time.

[IBobi]

This block should be temporary, due to site security reasons.

[Kulverstukas]

OMG it's not only problem!

https://i.imgur.com/ujN9vdS.png

[IBobi]

It is because you are accessing PPrune from a country that has been attacking the site. Sorry, this should only be temporary.

[krismiler]

I got it using a VPN in Taiwan as well, just switched it to UK and back to normal.

[AnthonyMachin]

Does any body know why PPRUNE is not available in the Philippines?
Thanks in advance for any posts on this subject.. Tony Machin.

[Pumba129]

Ha; me too...
but this pretty much tells you everything you need to know about this place...
is it confirmed it’s web host or is it just banned by Vietnam’s ISP’s (controlled by the Red Overlord, of course)...
Emmm...Me too
I am in China Now, just to visit some city to consider bases. But only via VPN access the website.
So maybe not only Vietnam.

[noofaq]

Poland is also banned (multiple IP subnets) since yesterday or so.. Have to use NL proxy...

[EagleA25]

Emmm...Me too
I am in China Now, just to visit some city to consider bases. But only via VPN access the website.
So maybe not only Vietnam.
China is known to ban a ****load of web pages which allow free speech and social interactions. FaceBook and Watsapp are among them as they are highly encrypted and don’t allow direct control.
What makes me worry is if this is a permanent ban which is very much AGAINST companies like JetStar Pacific, VietJet and especially State-Owned and State-Mismanaged Vietnam Airlines...
Low Time Pilots will take any job they can get their hands on, high-time and experienced pilots make decisions mostly on recommendations. We know how the industry dangles the carrot; we want to know if we’ll get the carrot or not, and this is one of many mediums that influence the decision making process...

[appleACE]

I tried to access PPRuNe in Turkey today but got this error message:


"Error 1009
Access denied

The owner of this website (www.pprune.org) has banned the country or region your IP address is in (TR) from accessing this website."


Anyone know why PPRuNe would be blocking Turkey? Normally it's Turkey blocking websites, not the other way around...

[EagleA25]

There is another post about it not being available in vietnam anymore, either...

[Black Crow]

Just read about the state of aviation in the Philippines on here and you'll see why.

The truth can be painful.

[AndySmith]

I tried to access PPRuNe in Turkey today but got this error message:


"Error 1009
Access denied

The owner of this website (www.pprune.org) has banned the country or region your IP address is in (TR) from accessing this website."


Anyone know why PPRuNe would be blocking Turkey? Normally it's Turkey blocking websites, not the other way around...

It’s the same in Hungary. I sent a message to the admin, but no reply....

[bcgallacher]

Does any body know why PPRUNE is not available in the Philippines?
Thanks in advance for any posts on this subject.. Tony Machin.
I spend several months of the year in the Philippines,mainly in a Manila suburb and regularly access Pprune. PLDT supplies our internet - it can be unreliable at times but you can usually get Pprune.

[IBobi]

My, the conspiracy theories are flying in here!

This is due to a 3rd party security system that is temp blocking a source of extreme spam. All will be back to normal soon enough.

[4EvahLearning]

My, the conspiracy theories are flying in here!

This is due to a 3rd party security system that is temp blocking a source of extreme spam. All will be back to normal soon enough.

As you're an administrator here you must have noticed pilots appear to be a paranoid group. Just saying.

[rnzoli]

For the record, Hungary is banned too for the last 3 days now.
Error 1009 Access denied
The owner of this website has banned the couintry or region your IP address is in (HU) from accessing this website.

[jimjim1]

PPRuNe is a small bulletin board that nevertheless has to take their Cyber Security very seriously. For sure they cannot afford what I might call State level security systems such as Amazon or Microsoft or Google might deploy.

It appears that a security software supplier has recommended that they take these steps to ameliorate certain cyber Security risks.

My view is that I would have patience and in the interim use a VPN such as the free one included in the Opera Browser if I was in a blocked region.

[daf]

Same here

cannot post a screenshot. But as described above

[alemaobaiano]

Same for Brazil, VPN gets around the problem though.

[intortola]

Same last few days in the British Virgin Islands, I messaged admin. Seems to be ok this morning. Can access without the VPN again