From technology to politics to video games; these are the random thoughts of a geek with too much time on his hands

If you've tried to visit SkinArtistry.com in the last day or so, you've found yourself staring at the following notice:

"Skinartistry.com is now officially closed due to hackers installing a series of php scripts, to send out spam, and other various malware. I am sorry that it had to come to this, but they say the third time is the charm. To all those that made SA what it is today, I thank you. Especially all Admins, thanks for your hard work! I will be talking to some that may want to revive the site, but for now, SA is Closed for business."

SA was one of the older skinning sites out there, with the domain registered all the way back in 2004.  Along with sites like Skinning.net, SkinBase and Skinz.org, it made up a large chunk of the skinning community beyond the walls of sites like WinCustomize and DeviantArt.

The shutdown of SA is a blow to skinning, and to the overall community.  Any time a site goes down, we lose not only the skins and artwork hosted there, but we also lose a unique voice and perspective on the hobby and community we've all come to know and love over the years.  It's especially frustrating when we lose a site not because the owner moves on, or for not being able to pay for the site, but because a bunch of punks with nothing better to do decide to tear down something that others put years of hard work into.  Some in the community lost their virtual home because some losers sitting in their parents basements wanted to send out spam.

To the skinners, moderators and administators of SkinArtistry, and on behalf of everyone here at Stardock/WinCustomize, I'm sorry it had to come to this.  Please let me know if there's anything we at WC can do to help salvage what's left and possibly get things going again.


Comments (Page 1)
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on Jul 02, 2008
well now that just plain sux...I'd like to wring the neck of some of these schmucks.  
on Jul 02, 2008
I don't know what to say besides that sucks. 
on Jul 02, 2008
Looks like we all lose out on a valuable part of the community thanks to some Noob Hackers that haven't anything better to do with their time.... a lot of other sites are prolly too hard for them to attack.   
on Jul 02, 2008
could not agree more on your views of these hackers, well-said zoomba, what a bunch of low-life. i'm really sorry to hear about skinartistry...
on Jul 02, 2008
I would like to offer my services in anyway I can from maybe a hosting plan domain art work for the revamp of the site or just whatever is needed.Any level of assistance from helping build or run the site or maintenance. Please contact me if some are willing to help we will get it back up and going! Harley
on Jul 02, 2008
Even more infuriating is that it's not necessarily "some losers sitting in their parents' basements wanted to send out spam". Quite possibly "some losers sitting in their plush offices wanted to send out spam". Spamming and hacking has turned into such an industry that it's attracted the bottom-feeding parasites-for-profit of the world who will happily wreck anything they can for a buck, somehow managing to prove yet again that it's always possible to sink even lower in the food chain.
on Jul 02, 2008
My question is...what's to stop this same sort of attack at WC and the other skinning sites? ( 
on Jul 02, 2008
Wouldn't it be great to be able to find these spammers/bottom feeders or what ever and turn the tables on them!
on Jul 02, 2008
This is the kind of thing which makes you mad.

If I could get my hands on the bastards I'd chop their goddamned nuts off 
on Jul 02, 2008
Now, now, Vulcans are supposed to be able to control thier emotions.  

It does piss you off, though.
on Jul 02, 2008
Can't believe SA closes...which interest to attack a site like this ? it's a shame, really. if this kind of guys just put 1/10 of their talent to make good instead of bad , the world would be paradisiac....
on Jul 02, 2008

Typically when this happens, the site being attacked is using some sort of platform software which has documented or exploitable holes. Such platforms like phpNuke and e105 frequently have new exploits, and site managers have to scramble to update before their site is comprimised. While it's not completely out of the question that WC may have a lingering hole we havent yet found, our stuff is all developed in house and thus, the source code is not available for people to pick through and find problems. We also have a service which checks out sites for holes on a regular basis...

on Jul 02, 2008
This is the kind of thing which makes you mad.


If you knew how senseless it all was and that Tom (bones2112) got no assistance from the people he leased the domain name from. As the matter of fact, at one time they accused him if I remeber correctly. The whole thing is the suckiest suck that ever sucked. If I ever visit Pakistan, I know the first place I am going.
on Jul 02, 2008
Pakistan huh? I think that's on the list...
on Jul 02, 2008
Just a reminder ... Even though the Skinartistry site is no more; the people that made it what is was and contributed are still alive and kicking.

My personal thanks to Tom and all the people I worked with through the years over there. I couldn't have asked for a better bunch of folks.
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