502/504 Errors and DDOS Attacks

Website · Post by **Hlaoroo** » Thu Jan 29, 2026 4:25 am

You've probably all noticed by now the series of outages on our forums.

I can confirm that most of the Bad Gateway errors are due to a series of DDOS attacks (Distributed Denial Of Service). If you don't know what that means, imagine you're about to walk through the door into your favourite restaurant when suddenly 500 people push in line ahead of you. You can't get in until the crowd is cleared. Essentially that's what's happening to the forums, with the restaurant being the server, and you and the crowd being your computer and other computers. Someone is hijacking other computers to send so much traffic to our servers that legit traffic can't get through.

We're doing what we can to mitigate these attacks, including tightening server-side security, allocating more resources to the servers so they can handle more traffic, and working with our host to increase DDOS protection on their end. We're also looking at moving up the schedule to migrate the forums to more modern software and newer servers and we'll keep you posted when there's more information such as dates and time frames on that front.

IMPORTANTLY, NO USER DATA HAS BEEN COMPROMISED. A DDOS is people standing around the door to the server, NOT people getting in.

We thank you for your patience and understanding during this situation. We know it's been frustrating (we're frustrated too!) and we're working hard behind the scenes to get everything working properly as soon as possible!

GingaDensetsuAleu · Post by **GingaDensetsuAleu** » Thu Jan 29, 2026 6:04 am

I thought that might be it when the "most users online ever" statistic updated twice in the last week. In fact, I believe I posted as such somewhere.

Amazee Dayzee · Post by **Amazee Dayzee** » Thu Jan 29, 2026 4:25 pm

I just want to know who is the one that is setting up these attacks and crashing the forum and why are they doing it. Could it be somebody that was previously banned from the forum and wants to take revenge? I'm not sure why anybody would target a forum about a comic of anthropomorphic pets.

NHWestoN · Post by **NHWestoN** » Fri Jan 30, 2026 1:40 pm

Your efforts are much appreciated, Hlao.

I can't help but think that our recent "BOTs on parade" problem is somehow tied in with this challenge as well.

Amazee Dayzee · Post by **Amazee Dayzee** » Fri Jan 30, 2026 9:13 pm

Hope that in addition to stopping who is doing this to the forum we also find out the identity of who they are. I know that there will be no legal consequences but it would be great if we knew who they were and why they are doing this.

HiraokaNettoMichio · Post by **HiraokaNettoMichio** » Tue Feb 03, 2026 11:06 am

Getting rather fed up about all this going on. I may have to work on fanworks somewhere else if I keep winding up with 502s and DDOS attacks, especially if it's for the third day in a row.

Amazee Dayzee · Post by **Amazee Dayzee** » Tue Feb 03, 2026 2:22 pm

The mods here can only do so much when trying to stop this from continuing so we need to wait it out unfortunately. By getting fed up with the attacks and leaving the forum completely even when we are able to get on and post we will be doing exactly what the person behind all of this wants.

HiraokaNettoMichio · Post by **HiraokaNettoMichio** » Tue Feb 03, 2026 4:42 pm

Amazee Dayzee wrote: ↑Tue Feb 03, 2026 2:22 pm The mods here can only do so much when trying to stop this from continuing so we need to wait it out unfortunately. By getting fed up with the attacks and leaving the forum completely even when we are able to get on and post we will be doing exactly what the person behind all of this wants.

What... I mean, there are numerous enemies that I've made online, but I don't know if I would stay or go. Hopefully I can actually get something worthwhile done, but if I can't really make that happen within the amount of time I have... I guess I need to get writing since some of the relationships I have nowadays must have made me a threat to them.

I'll try to write again, but hopefully this valentine's day would put me in the right direction somehow.

Amazee Dayzee · Post by **Amazee Dayzee** » Wed Feb 04, 2026 5:07 am

Just don't make any rash decisions about leaving the forum because of everything that is going on because this will ultimately end up getting resolved if you continue to be patient with everything. Also you don't have to actually write your stories here and can just post them once you finished writing them someplace else.

GingaDensetsuAleu · Post by **GingaDensetsuAleu** » Wed Feb 04, 2026 2:31 pm

I write my stories in a text editor and just copy/paste the daily chapters in on their day to upload them. The chapters I post on any given day were written anywhere from 1 to 3 months ago.

NHWestoN · Post by **NHWestoN** » Wed Feb 04, 2026 2:45 pm

Ah, the struggle continues as, once again, our noble,deidcated, self-sacrificing Mods blast through the Gateway barrier. You guys must be getting puking sick to death of this (noble daily) ordeal.

But your labors are appreciated. Does Rick know this foo-rar is going on (not that, I'm sure, he can do anything about it himself).

GingaDensetsuAleu · Post by **GingaDensetsuAleu** » Thu Feb 05, 2026 3:21 pm

The fact that the attacks are bypassing Cloudflare indicates that they are directed at the site's main IP address directly. The best way to fix it would be to migrate the whole site to a different IP address and hide the IP so outside computers can't see it.

Amazee Dayzee · Post by **Amazee Dayzee** » Thu Feb 05, 2026 5:04 pm

Would that be easy to do for the server mod that is in charge of keeping the forum up? If it is too complicated or time-consuming I don't think that they will end up going that route.

GingaDensetsuAleu · Post by **GingaDensetsuAleu** » Thu Feb 05, 2026 5:07 pm

They would have to copy all the files on the entire website, including the entire comic and the entire forum, move them all to a new server, and then change a setting on that server to make it not transmit its real IP address directly to any devices. Or, in some cases, they could just change a setting on the server itself, but that would require administrator access to the server itself, which probably only the server's host has.

Amazee Dayzee · Post by **Amazee Dayzee** » Thu Feb 05, 2026 5:20 pm

Honestly the first idea sounds like it would be such a production and I'm not sure if anybody would be willing to do it. Though I would hate having to start all over again on another forum because that one might not live long since there are so few people that post here as it is.

GingaDensetsuAleu · Post by **GingaDensetsuAleu** » Fri Feb 06, 2026 3:27 am

Websites migrate servers all the time. It is a production on the technical end, but on the client end, it just looks like down time for maintenance, if that. Bigger websites are hosted across multiple servers, so you don't even notice when one of the servers is down. After the migration, the URL remains the same- it's just being broadcast from a different computer.

NHWestoN · Post by **NHWestoN** » Fri Feb 06, 2026 7:58 am

Sounds like a possible solution, Ginga, but I'm a "Know-Nothing" in this corner of the cosmos. Over the years, I've developed a great respect for the "Mods" and managers of this site (as well as enjoying our verbal engagements; they're an interesting and witty crew). So, I figure they'll solve it, all will be well, and we'll continue our vigil for the coming of the "Opener." I mean, Rick. Apologies, Custom Ink, darling.

Amazee Dayzee · Post by **Amazee Dayzee** » Fri Feb 06, 2026 1:17 pm

Since that is the case that it is easy for the website to move to a different server then I am all for it happening if it means I can get on whenever I want and I'm not subjected to being kicked off when other computers crash the website. Each time it happens I am getting more and more done with the whole thing and have to restrain myself from banging my head on the wall.

GingaDensetsuAleu · Post by **GingaDensetsuAleu** » Fri Feb 06, 2026 1:20 pm

I actually watched it starting to happen yesterday. I was refreshing the page to see if anybody had been on and I noticed that there were 10,000 users online before I refreshed and 20,000 users after. Before I could refresh again, the site was down. :/

Amazee Dayzee · Post by **Amazee Dayzee** » Fri Feb 06, 2026 1:22 pm

It also doesn't help that you never know how long the site is going to be down once it happens. Since I have a very structured routine when it comes to posting here it also makes it hard and if I can't post in the timeframe I give myself I don't post at all.

GingaDensetsuAleu · Post by **GingaDensetsuAleu** » Wed Feb 11, 2026 1:45 pm

I have noticed that some other sites have, after an attack, implemented a captcha system to filter out automated traffic. When you connect to the site, it briefly redirects you to a captcha that automatically checks that you aren't an automated system before allowing you access. It may be worth looking into if these attacks continue.

Amazee Dayzee · Post by **Amazee Dayzee** » Wed Feb 11, 2026 2:14 pm

At this point I would be down for anything that would get these attacks to finally stop so we can get the forum back. It is annoying only being able to post most of the time instead of all of the time.

GingaDensetsuAleu · Post by **GingaDensetsuAleu** » Wed Feb 11, 2026 2:36 pm

Rick did mention he's working on site stuff, so he may be beefing up the security or even updating the site entirely.

Amazee Dayzee · Post by **Amazee Dayzee** » Wed Feb 11, 2026 11:14 pm

Then I guess the only thing that we can do is just sit back and try not to go crazy with all of the errors that we are being bombarded with. I really do wish patience was mu\y strong suit in times like these.

TyVulpintaur · Post by **TyVulpintaur** » Fri Feb 20, 2026 11:22 am

Yay it's back!

Welsh Halfwit · Post by **Welsh Halfwit** » Fri Feb 20, 2026 11:43 am

Yay! I'm back!

Harry Johnathan · Post by **Harry Johnathan** » Fri Feb 20, 2026 12:16 pm

That was an awful long time.

Welsh Halfwit · Post by **Welsh Halfwit** » Fri Feb 20, 2026 12:26 pm

Harry Johnathan wrote: ↑Fri Feb 20, 2026 12:16 pm That was an awful long time.

And they're still going on. Lend us your warclb?

Amazee Dayzee · Post by **Amazee Dayzee** » Fri Feb 20, 2026 1:11 pm

I am glad that it looks like the forum is back though it does seem like it is still kind of slow. That actually makes me worried that it is going to crash unexpectedly when I am trying to post something.

HiraokaNettoMichio · Post by **HiraokaNettoMichio** » Fri Feb 20, 2026 2:05 pm

Guys, the forums are back and I'm lookimg forward to write more.

Amazee Dayzee · Post by **Amazee Dayzee** » Fri Feb 20, 2026 10:21 pm

We can all see that the forums are back and I am glad that they are also. I was so sure that it would take over a month so I am so glad to be proven wrong!

TyVulpintaur · Post by **TyVulpintaur** » Sat Feb 21, 2026 9:56 am

Your noticing of the notice has been noticed.

GingaDensetsuAleu · Post by **GingaDensetsuAleu** » Sat Feb 21, 2026 10:27 am

I couldn't but notice you noticing the noticing of the notice.

NHWestoN · Post by **NHWestoN** » Sat Feb 21, 2026 3:19 pm

I slipped in during a wavering, but the Gateway continues to intervene.

Amazee Dayzee · Post by **Amazee Dayzee** » Sat Feb 21, 2026 6:18 pm

Sometimes I will end up getting the error but it isn't as bad as it was before so I am happy for that. Though I am kind of annoyed with how slow it can be at times and that does make me worry that the forum will crash just as I post something.

GingaDensetsuAleu · Post by **GingaDensetsuAleu** » Sat Feb 21, 2026 6:45 pm

It's still been crashing off and on, but (fingers crossed, knock wood, hang horseshoe) the bot users have been gradually decreasing.

Amazee Dayzee · Post by **Amazee Dayzee** » Sun Feb 22, 2026 2:33 am

I am just so happy that it seems to be doing better than what happened with it before where you could BARELY get on the forums. I really did miss coming here to see what people had to say and replying to other member's posts when the forum was down.

NHWestoN · Post by **NHWestoN** » Thu Mar 05, 2026 10:11 am

Just a short note of thanks and appreciation to you "Mods" out there battling the BadGateWay dragon to keep this forum alive. ... Thanks and appreciated more than you know! Rick, I'm sure, is grateful, too.

Amazee Dayzee · Post by **Amazee Dayzee** » Thu Mar 05, 2026 2:32 pm

I am also glad that they are trying to resolve things so they go back to normal more than they know because I would like to come on here without dreading that the forum can't be loaded. Once the day comes when everything stays online and doesn't get knocked off I will never take this space for granted again.

NHWestoN · Post by **NHWestoN** » Sun Mar 15, 2026 1:29 pm

The struggle continues!