Hello!
The whole website has been replicated with only a small change at the end of the domain name.
It seems that any new articles I post on my website are automatically appearing on the copied version and if I delete them, they disappear from the other site too. I'm not sure how this is happening and wondering if there's a way to prevent it or limit the link between the two sites.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
To prevent proxying (which is 100% effective), add the following code to the head of your webpage, replacing "website.com" with your own URL. The alert function (the first part of the code) can be removed, and the redirect will still happen automatically. In rare cases where the code is removed by someone else, you can encrypt it using JavaScript obfuscation techniques found on Google.
<script>
if((self.parent&&!(self.parent===self))&&(self.parent.frames.length!=0)){alert('Redirecting to original site')}
</script>
<script type="text/javascript">
if(window top != window) {
window.location.href = 'https://website.com';
}
</script>
Wouldn't it be simpler to use Cloudflare instead? Banning one scraper today only means that another will pop up tomorrow, and an even more experienced one the day after that. Cloudflare has the ability to block basic scrapers and offers a user-friendly interface to keep track of enemies. It's true that the Pro plan costs $22 per month.
However, even Cloudflare isn't foolproof. Skilled hackers can bypass its protection by changing the bootloader, and they can set up an auto parser that checks the donor site every few seconds. The "Likely Automated" blocking feature works fairly well, but it's only available to Business users.
It's important to remember that no security measure is 100% effective, and determined attackers can always find ways around them. Nonetheless, using services like Cloudflare can significantly reduce the risk of scraping and other malicious activities.
Ensure that your website's rel=canonical attribute is correctly set to highlight the canonical pages.
For more information on how to do this, consult the Google Help Center.
In Google Search Console, report any web spam or phishing pages you come across.
Using WHOIS, find out which registrar is responsible for the fraudulent site and inform them of the situation.
In the site settings section of the Search Console, under the "Main domain" item, make sure to select "Display URLs as *your domain*" instead of the default "Do not install the main domain".
Contact the hosting company directly, providing details about the infringing website and attaching links to the images that were stolen from your site. Be sure to also provide proof of ownership and any relevant correspondence with the violator. If the hosting company agrees that your rights have been violated, they may suspend the violator's website.
Remember that taking action against copyright infringement and other online abuses can be time-consuming and frustrating. However, it's important to protect your intellectual property and ensure that your website content isn't being used without your permission.
This situation indicates a serious case of website cloning or mirroring, which could be a form of copyright infringement, content scraping, or even a malicious attack. Here are some steps I would recommend to address this issue:
1. Investigate the Source:
- Perform a WHOIS lookup on the cloned website's domain to see if you can identify the registrant information. This may provide clues about the origin of the clone.
- Check the IP address of the cloned website and compare it to the IP address of your original website. Seeing if they are hosted on the same server or network could indicate a connection.
- Use online tools like BuiltWith or SimilarWeb to analyze the technology stack and traffic patterns of the cloned website, which may reveal more about its source and purpose.
2. Validate Ownership:
- Review your domain registration records to confirm that you are the legitimate owner of the original website.
- Ensure that your website hosting and content management system (CMS) accounts are secure and that no unauthorized access has occurred.
- dоcument your ownership and any evidence of the cloning activity, as this may be necessary for any legal proceedings.
3. Analyze the Mirroring Mechanism:
- Examine your website's code, plugins, and server configurations to identify any vulnerabilities or integration points that could be enabling the automatic replication of content.
- Check for any suspicious scripts, API calls, or external services that may be facilitating the synchronization between the two sites.
- Consider hiring a security expert or web developer to conduct a thorough audit of your website's infrastructure and security posture.
4. Implement Content Protection Measures:
- Enable two-factor authentication for all administrative and content management access to your website.
- Implement IP-based access controls or geolocation restrictions to limit access to your website from certain regions or IP addresses.
- Integrate a content delivery network (CDN) that can help detect and block unauthorized content scraping, such as Cloudflare or Amazon CloudFront.
- Explore the use of digital watermarking or other content fingerprinting techniques to help identify and trace any copied content.
5. Pursue Legal Action:
- Consult with a intellectual property lawyer or a lawyer specializing in cybersecurity and online content protection to understand your legal rights and options.
- Prepare a cease and desist letter outlining the copyright infringement and demanding the immediate removal of the cloned website.
- If the cloning persists, consider filing a DMCA takedown request with the relevant domain registrar or hosting provider, or explore the possibility of a lawsuit for copyright infringement.
6. Strengthen Your Website's Security:
- Review your website hosting provider's security measures and consider upgrading to a more secure hosting solution if necessary.
- Ensure that your website's content management system, plugins, and third-party integrations are up-to-date and secure.
- Implement robust access controls, log monitoring, and security incident response procedures to detect and respond to any future attempts at unauthorized access or content replication.
7. Monitor and Maintain Vigilance:
- Regularly monitor your website and the internet for any signs of unauthorized replication or cloning, using tools like Google Search Console, Copyscape, or BrandProtect.
- Set up alerts and notifications to be informed of any changes or suspicious activity on your website or the cloned version.
- Maintain an ongoing dialogue with your legal counsel and cybersecurity experts to stay informed of the latest trends and best practices in content protection.