On the surface all looks fine but within the source code of my site that serves 10,000 page views daily there’s a link to a virus.

The site is Befuddle and it looks like a script is inserting some code into the foot of all the Wordpress (version 2.6) files that end index.php. Each day I’ve edited each of the files affected but three days on the bounce it returns at approximately 8:50pm.

The code includes a list of urls and begin

text block fishka

div name=fishka id=”fishka

I viewed one of the links via Firefox and Norton Inernet Security immediately popped up saying ‘A recent attempt to attack your computer was blocked’. This came from softwareclicks2.com.
I’ve been made aware of these hacks as I noticed that the last login dates and times for my sites don’t tally with when I’ve actually last looked at them.

I’ve since changed my ftp password but am wondering if there’s a flaw with one of the plug-ins. Here are the list of files compromised.

• /index.php
• /wp-content/index.php
• /wp-content/plugins/headspace2/modules/page/noindex.php
• /wp-content/themes/default/index.php
• /wp-content/themes/classic/index.php
• /wp-content/themes/befuddle/index.php

I’ve been in touch with my host and they say that ‘an account can easily be exploited due to insecure script/backdated scripts’.

I’ve seen all my WordPress sites hacked at some point but this one is persistant and I’m not sure of how to get rid of it.

In the first week of December, content affiliates of JD Williams will be able to see how many sales and how much commission they are losing to Pay-Per-Click marketing.

JD Williams has recently relaunched on the dgmPro network and all sales that bring in new customers will be rewarded with a potential £8 commission, no matter the value of the sale. This initially tracks as £4.

If the sale is for an existing customer the affiliate receives 1%. However, considering that JD Williams pulled out of the affiliate marketing area earlier this year this is still good news, especially as they’re back before Christmas, with a clear remit to attract new users.

If the affiliate generates a new customer sale though and the customer later goes off to Google and clicks a JD Williams pay-per-click advert, then they’ll not get paid the full £8 commission but the original £4.

I can already see that I have signed up over a dozen first time customers by promoting the selection of JD Williams Incentive Codes. This is from a total of 48 sales. Not bad, one in every four of my referred customers is brand new. That’s good business. In fact considering I’m having a poor month, I’m very impressed that I’ve generated almost 50 sales for just one merchant.

See voucher codes do generate incremental new business. Just ask Alpharooms Affiliate Manager Dan Morley.

“Things actually look good in favour of voucher sites. Sales coming in, using the vouchers are mostly new customers.”

What will be interesting to see is what proportion of those sales turn into the golden nugget of £8. It may paint a general picture of how content and code sites are losing commission to pay-per-click brand bidders. We shall see.