PaperMau is gone

[TramFan]

Such a pity these things happen, spent many hours browsing his site and the great models he had, will be missed.
Owen

[Rubenandres77]

I really hope Mauther is able to fix the current problems with his blog. It is a reference site for many people around the globe.

I notice the site says "This blog is open to invited readers only". So he hasn't deleted anything yet. He only made it private for the time being.

Blogspot/Blogger websites are not inherently dangerous, and they are supported by Google. They tend to be very secure and friendly. So there is hope a fix can be done.
I've visited hundreds (if not thousands) of Blogspot sites, and have never had any problems. I even have a couple of personal sites in that platform, and the sites are clean.

One of the attractive features of Blogspot/Blogger is the flexibility in customization, and the ability to use external widgets. But that may also be a problem: the use of 3rd party widgets (like visit counters, location maps, slideshows, etc.) can present a risk. I personally prefer to use native Blogger/Blogspot widgets, despite them being a bit dull. But when you link to outside services, the door is open to anything.

That's why I'm almost sure the content itself provided by Mauther is not the cause of the problem. I would try a different approach and check all the external widgets and scripts that were embedded into the page. And I remember Mauther had many of them.

My guess is that one of those many external widgets or styling scripts (old or new) felt into the hands of unscrupulous people who started exploiting them, and that's how the Papermau blog got the problem. That would also explain why he hasn't been able to solve anything after cleaning his own computer, because there is a chance problem may not be inside his machine, but rather coming from outside the blog. Remember the Trojan miner is only active when the blog is open, so there's something coming from outside using a door in the blog. the problem and solution is there.

If that indeed is the case, getting rid of the external widgets like counters, trackers, and anything non-native to the Blogspot platform may help a lot. Also, checking and cleaning the styling sheets that serve as templates for the site to make sure no outside script got embedded. That may take some time, but since it is only a matter of checking the internal code of each section template, nothing in the actual content is touched.

I'm not 100% sure that is the cause of the problem, and I'm even less sure about the solution. But having worked previously in the customization of my own Blogspot sites, and visiting several friends' sites in the same platform, leads me to believe the problem may be hidden there. If it were a Blogspot internal problem then all the sites I visit almost daily would have the same problem, but hey're clean. The problem must surely reside in a linked widget or non-Blogspot script.

If any of you (I'm Thinking Vermin King) can contact him directly (I don't seem to have Mauther's email address) and suggest him this course of action, that would be wonderful. This solution may (or may not) work. But at least is not harmful to try it. Of course, a proper backup of the style codes and layout is needed before attempting anything so radical.

Kind regards,

[Tektonten]

As a fellow papercraft blogger, this news is heartbreaking. My heart goes out to you Mauther. I remember when you first started your blog; it was only a year or two after I started my own.

[Vermin_King]

You never truly appreciate what you've got until it is gone


If anyone is a member at the French forum, can you pass on what news we have?


Site PAPERMAU Indisponible - Le forum en papier

[clif52]

Very sad news! Mauther's site has been one of my favorite go to sites for years. I've especially enjoyed the models that he designed. Best of luck finding a solution.

[blueyeppoon]

I visited Mau everyday. What am I going to do now? I am sorry to hear that the cyberswine have struck you Mau and I hope that the sting goes quickly and leaves you well so that you may release some of those myriad of models still in your coffers. If not and you are truely and deep into the dumps I wish you well and will dream that one day........
I am sorry for you and wish you strength, determination and the right mind to come out of this intact.
Regards
Mike Newton (blueyeppoon)

[airdave]

Mauther has commented over on that French forum....
I don't think he really understands what the "infection" is that has sidelined his blog.

First of all Blogger themselves inspect and maintain their own sites.
if there is a trojan virus at blogger, its their problem.
They probably got warnings of some sort of link to a malicious site and sidelined his blog for that reason (until he fixes it).

I get the impression Mauther has added a widget, or some sort of add-on (as someone here already mentioned)
that has a link to a bitmining operation.
(He appears to have some info about a bitcoin related infection)

He needs only delete/remove any added apps/widgets/counters/ad-links/etc.
Unless he can verify which add-on is the culprit and delete it by itself.

This is not about paying for virus removal services and trying to clean your files.
There is no virus on his system or in his files to be eradicated.

Its nothing more than a false link to something, or an actual malicious link disguised as a website widget/service.

I wish someone who could plainly speak Mauther's language could discuss this with him.
He's German isn't he? or did he say he was Portuguese?

[rickstef]

I believe Mauther is Brazilian

[airdave]

I was close...same planet.

I must have gotten confused while I was getting drunk.

[Zakopious]

Portuguese is the language spoken in Brazil.