[HORROR] Over 4,800 Web Sites Erased When Australian Web Host Is Hacked

[x0pa]

Thousands of people in Australia are in shock after finding out their web sites are gone due to the antics of a hacker and poor network management by their web host.

Over the weekend, Australian domain registrar and web host Distribut.IT was the target of a "deliberate, premeditated and targeted attack". The attack was so extensive that data on four of the host's servers was completely trashed. But that's not the worst of it.

Distribut.IT had to make the awful confession that it never made an offsite backup of its customer's data. All website data, backups, snapshots and other server information was permanently destroyed during the attack. About 4,800 websites lost their information forever. [Sydney Morning Herald via Silicon Filter]

[adamz]

never made an offsite backup...... if a hacker didn't get them a storm would have at some point.

[Bec]

Oh man ... that made me feel sick and they aren't even my sites.

[HunkyLuke]

4 servers hacked, 4800 sites affected. Wow, now that is oversubscribing your services! I have 4 servers for just my promo stuff LOL!!!!

[conran]

I'm not normally one for suggesting legislation and controls, but I believe there should be an industry standard set in place to ensure things as basic as a daily back-up. All of those people should now sue that company for failing in their duty to provide adequate service.
If they lost that much data, thousands of those sites will be loosing money every day.
This could potentially run into millions for that idiotic company.