Re: Website Intrusion

Hello, Rob.

Thanks for your mail. This is the first message I have received from 
you, and take your question seriously.

What you have found in this message:

<HTML xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" 
xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"
  xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">

is inserted by the application that created this document -whether it's 
an email message or a web page.

This part:
xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"

is a good indicator that the person who sent this message to you, used 
Microsoft Office to creat the message.

This part:
xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"

says, "Use the official W3C Namespace for HTML 4.0 as the reference for 
the markup language for this message."

In other words, it's only saying "Use the W3C standard for formatting of 
this reference." Computers can't automatially tell what language you 
wish to use for a file - you have to give the application a clue to what 
language or format you're using. That's where you've found the reference 
to us, since we (a standards body, not a company) have defined the 
technical standard for HTML.

Put another way - if someone sent you a MS-Word document, and you don't 
like the content, you don't threaten to sue Microsoft. You find out who 
sent you the document, and who wrote the document - in case there is a 
difference there.

Since I can't tell what kind of document you received, nor how it is 
"taking over" your site, I can't be of much help telling you how to 
remove it. I can tell you that you should find out who sent you this 
message/document, and take it from there. You may also want to ask a 
techie Webmaster at your location, or at Clear Channel, to see if they 
can diagnose the problem.

Best regards,

Janet



Rob wrote:

> I represent a talk radio station owned by Clear Channel Communications.  
> My talk show has a website.  It is now shut down because of an unwelcome 
> intrusion from your website.  I have e-mailed your webmaster and Janet 
> Daly and have received no response.  I have now turned it over to our 
> corporate legal dept.  They have dealt with unwanted web intrusions 
> before, and have a cadre of laws and attorneys that will be unleashed.  
> I hope you are ready.
>  
> It would be so much easier for someone, anyone, representing your 
> company to reply to this e-mai with an explanation of how I can remove 
> the unwanted code.  I will then contact CC Legal and end this.  Here is 
> the text from the previous e-mail sent to your webmaster:
>  
> To the webmaster for http://www.w3.org <http://www.w3.org/>,
>  
> I have a line of code that has showed up on my website and I cannot get 
> rid of it.  Here is the text that appears before the head tag:
> <HTML xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" 
> xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" 
> xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
> My website is a commercial website, run by a talk radio station.  I 
> cannot update the website until I get rid of this text.  We are now shut 
> down, showing only a message describing your intrusion on my site.  To 
> correct the matter, I've deleted all references to the code in my entire 
> system, yet it forces itself into my website again and again. I have not 
> authorized this in any way. 
>  
> If I have mistakenly used something belonging to you that has warranted 
> this intrusion into my website, please let me know asap.  If not, please 
> tell me how to get rid of it.
>  
>  
> I find it hard to believe that your company would put code in my site, 
> then put your entire company at risk by challenging one of the largest 
> corporations in America.  I hope, one more time, that someone will 
> respond and end this for all of us.  All I want is my website back, 
> without your forced, unwanted code.
>  
> Thank you,
> Rob Johnson
> AM Drive on KFIV
> Clear Channel Communications
> 2121 Lancey Rd.
> Modesto, CA  95356
> 209 551-1306
>  

-- 


World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)

Janet Daly, Head of Communications
MIT/CSAIL NE43-342
200 Technology Square
Cambridge, MA 02139
USA

voice: +1.617.253.5884
fax:   +1.617.258.5999
http://www.w3.org/
janet@w3.org

Received on Friday, 5 December 2003 15:36:02 UTC