Blogger Blogs Redirecting To "blogrolling.com" #2

Slightly less than 1 week ago, we started seeing reports in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken, suggesting yet another hijack of Blogger blog readers.

When trying to view my blog I am redirected to http://rpc.blogrolling.com. Has my blog been hacked?

The titles (questions) are phrased so differently, and posted in such numbers, in the forums (and as comments to my blog), that suggests that nobody publishing these questions sees how many other people are reporting the same problem. And even with many of us knowing about the problem, and having developed a simple diagnostic procedure, the reports keep coming.

Why do we see so many reports, about one simple problem?

Obviously, the diagnostic procedure is not obvious, even with my repetitive and seemingly copied and pasted response.

Using the "Page Elements" GUI wizard, remove gadget HTMLxx from your blog.

With the proper technique, identifying the problem gadget "HTMLxx" (with "xx" expected to vary from blog to blog), left over from a third party accessory that stopped working over a year ago, takes less than 5 minutes.

Identifying the problem gadget is quite straightforward, and requires only one tool - any "text only", or properly hardened, browser.

1. Load the contents of the blog in question, into any browser that is not subject to JavaScript based redirects.
2. View the source of the blog.
   1. If this is a hardened browser, that displays the blog contents graphically (such as what you are viewing, right now), you'll need to use the "View Source" menu option.
   2. If this is a text only browser (or text based proxy display), you will already be looking at the source.
3. Search for the key text - "blogrolling".
4. Look at the typical search result.

   <script language="javascript" src="http://rpc.blogrolling.com/display.php?r=aaed69f2505e892af783636f3f5a204c" type="text/javascript"></script>

5. Slightly above the search result, you'll find the gadget identified.

   <div class='widget HTML' id='HTML3'>

6. And there it is.

   HTML3

7. And now, my advice.

   Using the "Page Elements" GUI wizard, remove gadget HTML3 from your blog.

8. Now, it's your turn (since you own the blog with the misbehaving gadget, HTML3).
   1. Use "Page Elements".
   2. Find gadget "HTML3".
   3. Edit, then Remove, HTML3.
   4. Done.
9. What more advice is needed? Get to work, on your blog.

The details - such as "xx" - will differ - but the procedure, once you learn it, can be done in 2 minutes.

Since I dedicated this blog, long ago, to publishing details about Blogger blogs

Chuck, everybody knows that!

yet

Why did you wait so long to write this article?

The schizophrenic abuse of my patience continues.

>> Top