IX Web Hosting – Terrible Customer Service? – Part 2
If you haven't read part 1 of this post, use the link below.
IX Web Hosting - Worst Host Ever? - Part 1
After my first run in with IX Web Hosting, I wrote the whole incident off as a fluke. The manager I spoke to seemed very sincere and assured me that wasn't proper protocol and wouldn't happen again. I was trucking right along until I got this email from them on October 26, 2008.
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Dear Brent Crouch,
We have received notification of phishing material in your account. Phishing files are usually placed through some type of exploit of out dated code, weak file and folder permissions. Packaged shopping carts and photo galleries are usual sources as hackers find exploits and developers fix them almost daily, so unless you constantly update the software or completely secure it things like this can happen. You must agree to remove this content and update any software that has resulted in security holes. To protect your account from further action you must agree to our request for compliance. Please respond to this message stating your intent to do so. You may either log into your control panel with us, and access this ticket via the 24/7 help desk, or provide this ticket number to our Live Chat or phone representatives. Failure to respond to this message within 72 hours will result in the suspension of the affected domain with us until such a time as this matter is resolved. Michael |
The email gave me no indication of which domain had been hacked. When I wrote to live help and gave them the ticket number, I spent 10 minutes waiting only to be told they didn't know which of my domains had been effected. They recommended I reply to the online support ticket. Here is the email I sent them in response on October 27, 2008.
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I replied to live help and they could not find any information. So far you haven't told me which domain is a problem.
Please give me the info I need to correct this problem and I'll take care of it. Brent Crouch |
Eight hours later, I was able to find the problem by viewing all the files on my domains and looking for the files that had been recently changed. It turned out my brentcrouch.com domain had been hacked and setup with all sorts of eBay and bank phising pages. The site operates on a WordPress platform which is widely used and is a big target for hackers. Aaron Wall provides some good info on how to secure your WordPress installation from being hacked.
I wrote back to IX Web Hosting for a second time on October 27, 2008.
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I found the problem on my brentcrouch.com domain. I updated the wordpress software to the latest and cleaned up the problem.
The only exception is the brentcrouch.com/forum directory. I am unable to delete this directory as the hacker has removed my access. Please delete the directory. Thanks, Brent Crouch |
The following day, here is the email I got back from IX Web Hosting.
| Brent:
Thank you for your attention to this matter. Per your request we have removed: /brentcrouch.com/forum - deleted We will be closing this ticket at this time. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us. We will be happy to assist. Please note that this is the second time this problem occurred. Unfortunately, I have to bring to your attention that as per our terms of service a third instance will result in immediate account termination without notice. No backups will be provided. If you have any questions about how to avoid this from happening again our support team will be glad to advise. Respectfully |
When I seen that response, I was pissed! I run my own server at Servint.net. I've hosting accounts at several other hosting companies. I've never had a site hacked except from IX Web Hosting.
In 4 months, I've had two sites hacked. In both instances, IX Hosting was zero help in locating the source of the problem. In the first incident, they didn't even reply to my ticket for 4 days. In the latest incident, they couldn't even tell me what domain was hacked.
Then they send me an email telling me if it happens again not only will they suspend my account, they'll deny me access to my files! Huh?
That's not a risk I'm willing to take. With the high costs of obtaining customer's in this business, I'm a little surprised they don't do a better job of trying to retain them. In my opinion, this policy is unacceptable and makes IX Web Hosting one of the worst hosts I've ever dealt with.
I just signed up for a hosting account with Host Gator and have already moved all my domains over. So far, so good.
What's your experience with IX Web Hosting?
Tags: bad web hosting, ix web hosting, web hosting, worst web host
One of the nice things about IX servers is that there is no limit to the number of simultaneous connections to the server. Since I use SmartFtp to access the server, I can increase the number of workers uploading/downloading from the site, which greatly decreases the transfer times. Most hosts only allow up to 4 simultaneous connections at once, so this is an instance where IX excels over most other shared hosts that I deal with…
Just wanted to add my two bob’sworth. I switched over to another host when my FTP pw was compromised. Of course, as with everyone else, it was MY FAULT. Needed a more difficult password, change it regularly. I had my suspicions. So get this: After switching hosts andbasically abandoning my IX account, I get an email yesterday advising my FTP pw was again compromised. It’s just weird, because I’m not using the account at all.
Oh, and speed of upload and file manager is ridiculously slow.
IX Web is what one gets for cheap end hosting, the server is relatively slow, and they are hacked often, of the websites I host with them the hack is always from webshell ( 127.0.0.1 ) so blame does lie with them on that count. ( And yes they never admit to it, same cr@p is given, trojan, keylogger etc. ) Fine for sites you check regularly wouldn’t host a site with them unless you are checking for changes via ftp at least once a week, as you will eventually get hacked by there own server. ( This problem is not unique to IX and have encountered before on 2 other hosts I have used. )
My verdict fine for beginners and single sites, multiple site hosting I would look elsewhere.
Ohh my god,
for past 2 year i makes website through open source, i m not a coder or programme, every time they suspended my a/c, i think it is my mistake & how ix give me security to hacking, if i don’t know how to prevent scam,
But now i know after reading people who hosted site at ix & also programmer too, that it was big mistake by ix.
well, once i able to learn programming & ix appear that time, certainly hack them till 2 year continuously & till they shut off the operation.
deleted my valuable data & info i collect in 2 years.
I think hackers behind it also affcted by their services & ge revenge
Ya if your hosting company cant provide some form of security(and it is reasonable to think they cant) then websites really should be required to get a security audit which should highlight any vulnerabilities, http://www.websafe.ie was a good free/paid offer but there are other more enterprise products.
IX Web Hosting is a very not bad but evil hosting. They are very unhonest and if you
want to break your business stay with them. The downtimes are many, everyday and the
attention you get is like the chicks to the foxes. The maximum you get are pattern
robots answers.
You find in the web hundreds of complaints against them, but they spend much money in
paid fake pages that recommend them.
Why is not this millions invested in the quality of their services?
Evilix – January, 10, 2012