TheVintagePortSite Virus Issue

[JacobH]

On browsing the Symington’s The Vintage Port Site, I was redirected to a site called ‟Memory Scanner” which pretended to be a virus scanner and warned me that my computer had various viruses.

This means their site is probably a victim of a recent set of attacks against website running on Microsoft’s IIS and asp.net software. A look at the source code seems to confirm it. I will, of course inform the Symingtons. In the meantime, be careful when visiting not to be taken in. For more information, this blog entry has some technical details, or there is the inevitable Slashdot article.

[JacobH]

I will, of course inform the Symingtons.

I spoke too soon; there doesn’t appear to be an email address for technical issues, and the website now seems to be down (I hope because they are doing work on it and not because another wave of attacks has taken it down). If it recovers and I can then find the appropriate email address, I will then contact them.

[angeleyes]

Now that you mention it, I've found their website takes ages to load, and sometimes not at all.

[JacobH]

The problem is still there:

<p>It was the fourth vintage that robotic lagares were used, now that we have them at Sol, Malvedos and Sra. da Ribeira. The fine tuning that has been carried out over the last three years is proving to be succesful with high levels of extraction being achieved. Due to the high temperatures during the vintage the temperature control in these lagares was particularly beneficial. This is very satisfying and perhaps we have finally cracked the process of mechanising foot treading!"</p>
<p>Charles Symington<br />
October 2001</p></title><script src='http://jhulu[...]lfkjhjth.info/urchin.js'></script>

(Problem line highlighted in Red; I've redacted the middle of the address).

Does anyone know anyone who works for the Symingtons who is responsible for their website?

[angeleyes]

The problem is still there:

<p>It was the fourth vintage that robotic lagares were used, now that we have them at Sol, Malvedos and Sra. da Ribeira. The fine tuning that has been carried out over the last three years is proving to be succesful with high levels of extraction being achieved. Due to the high temperatures during the vintage the temperature control in these lagares was particularly beneficial. This is very satisfying and perhaps we have finally cracked the process of mechanising foot treading!"</p>
<p>Charles Symington<br />
October 2001</p></title><script src='http://jhulu[...]lfkjhjth.info/urchin.js'></script>

(Problem line highlighted in Red; I've redacted the middle of the address).

Does anyone know anyone who works for the Symingtons who is responsible for their website?

That page looks fine from this computer! (Can't see the source html at work though)

[Andy Velebil]

I've sent off an email to them about this issue.

[JacobH]

That page looks fine from this computer! (Can't see the source html at work though)

I think that's because the javascript file which is doing the damage (from the jhulu...info website) has been removed. Whether they will put it back (or put something else back) at some other point is another question.

[DRT]

The problem still seems to be there. I'll send the Symingtons another email to let them know. In the meantime it's probably best to avoid hitting the site.

[Dom Symington]

Thanks Derek, as mentioned I've passed on yor note to the IT boffins who assure me they are resolving the issue! ... hopefully.
Many apologies for the trouble!
Dom Symington

(Andy, sorry! I missed your warning!)

[Dom Symington]

I'm assured they've now sorted the problem! All should be back to normal. Very many apologies for the trouble...
Dom Symington

[DRT]

Thanks, Dom

[Alex Bridgeman]

There is something vaguely amusing to my warped sense of humour to see Dom Symington's status as a poster on The Port Forum as Cruz Ruby.

Yet me, who has nothing to do with the industry other than trying to consume as much of their production as I can manage; I have a status of Vesuvio 1994.

Is that ironic...or is that a question I should pose in the "What is irony?" thread?

[Alex Bridgeman]

And now, to complete the amusement, I've just seen Dom's protestations over his Cruz Ruby status.

Perhaps we should change the next staus now, before he advances to Cockburn Special Reserve...

[Dom Symington]

Have no fear, I have no problem with CSR but am a little confused at going from Cruz to Cheap ... not sure what that means for my credibility!
as you know I thoroughly enjoy most of my colleagues offerings ...

Just decanted a magnum of Graham's 77. Absolutly superb, very firm, concentrated, still very fresh & floral nose and lovely sadle leather tones.

[Andy Velebil]

Have no fear, I have no problem with CSR but am a little confused at going from Cruz to Cheap ... not sure what that means for my credibility!
as you know I thoroughly enjoy most of my colleagues offerings ...

LMAO!!! Uh, guys how about "Morgado Ruby"*?

Oh, and no you can't jump from Cheap Ruby to 1977 Graham's Magnum....on the other hand, bribery is perfectly acceptable, so I've been told




*this is sold for some crazy cheap price at a local market near me. I've never been brave enough to buy a bottle and try it so have no idea if it's not so good or the best Ruby out there, but you ever get that feeling....

[JacobH]

I'm assured they've now sorted the problem! All should be back to normal. Very many apologies for the trouble...
Dom Symington

Great. Many thanks! It was a shame for that site to have such problems!

[uncle tom]

The virus seems to have returned..

..my 'puter is throwing up a 'this site may harm your computer' warning..

- TFP's site also seems to be down..

Tom

[Cynthia J]

Hi, yes the Vintage Port Site is infected again, and we are again working with the service provider to sort out, hopefully once and for all. Trust me, I feel your pain! (And for those who don't yet know me, and wonder how I know... I write the blog for Graham's Port). Cross fingers for us! Thanks.

[DRT]

Hi Cynthia,

Welcome to and thanks for the update

Derek

[Cynthia J]

Just a quick update - we seem to have got the bug out - if you go to the URL you won't get an attack page - but we're still doing a bit of deep cleaning, if you will... site will be down for maintenance for a little longer. Please bear with us while we try to make sure it can't and won't happen again. Thanks.

[Cynthia J]

Hello again... Just to let everyone know - we have decided to take down the Vintage Port site for now. We were planning to do a re-design and then re-launch the site early in the new year, so this seems a good time to get to work. Apologies for any inconvenience - I feel your pain, I referenced it a lot too! In the meantime, if you have any queries for which you might have used the Vintage Port site, contact us through blogadmin at grahams-port dot com - That sends an email to me and António and we can try to help. Thanks for patience and support through it all! Cynthia

[jdaw1]

Also the Douro Insider has moved to be part of the Malvedos blog.

[Cynthia J]

Well spotted, thank you for mentioning that here - I'm in the throes of posting 2009, between July and June right now... should all be up (back to 2008) by end of weekend.

[jdaw1]

I and I suspect that means ‘we’ like Douro Insider. Please keep going.

[DRT]

I and I suspect that means ‘we’ like Douro Insider. Please keep going.

I second that motion.

[uncle tom]

The 'Douro insider' is a great read, and a potentially good reference source for the future - please take care to protect and preserve the archive.

Tom

[jdaw1]

The 'Douro insider' is a great read, and a potentially good reference source for the future - please take care to protect and preserve the archive.

Seconded.

Ask the British Library to archive the Malvedos site for future generations. Maybe the Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal does a similar thing?

[Cynthia J]

No fear - we like the Douro Insider and reference it a lot too! Will get 2008 up today, god willling, and then that's the complete set. I shall be seeing Miles later this week and gently nudging him for next one, though to be fair, it is the end of the viticultural year, so besides wrapping up Sept & Oct together, he's going to take a look over the whole 12 months too... should see it mid-late November. Don't forget he's a viticulturalist by day, and we've got to get going on pruning and all that, can't neglect the vineyards, needless to say, and this is also a time when a lot of his research work needs review and analysis. Thanks for all the encouragement and support, guys.

Julian - re backup - that's something I'm looking into for ourselves internally too - I do one kind of backup of the blog now, but am investigating other possibilities - thanks for these suggestions, will add to my list.

[richardgirling]

Good afternoon, I work for the company that distributes the Symington's wines/ ports in the UK. I have reported the Vintageportsite.com to Symington Family Estates and they have confirmed that the site has now been withdrawn and they are making some amendments to it. I will inform The Port Forum when it is back on line!