scriptygoddess

1 | Gary LaPointe

January 8th, 2009 at 3:21 pm

Okay, I just checked my blog to make sure it wasn't happening…

I'd have had no guess at all with the "d" problem until you posted a solution with the extra bits on the URL. I'd say the .htaccess file but if it's a fresh install it's not that either. It's gotta be something weird with that install of the web-server or it's in the WP code that interprets the code from the .htaccess some weird rewrite in that is flipping out for some reason, something extra getting passed to it.

This might sound strange but does it happen on all browsers?

2 | Jennifer

January 8th, 2009 at 3:37 pm

Yeah – I didn't add an hataccess file. (I did a fresh install because the client's blog – which DID have an htaccess file was doing it) so I figured if I could start at ground zero – I could get an install that WASN'T doing it (and would keep adding components (template files, plugins, etc.) until I found the cause) – but no such luck.

And if the whole thing with the "d" search isn't strange enough for you – the fact that Media Temple support reps did the "d" search fine – until they used a proxy server to connect to the website. WTH?

Someone suggested maybe it was some webalizer stat thing, but stats aren't running on the server either.

(Yes it happens on all browsers, tried, IE, and Firefox on both mac and pc, and safari on mac.)

I had called Media Temple because I was hoping they would be able to see what was happening on the server when that search was started – but they said they saw nothing out of the ordinary…. but I'm thinking that somewhere… or somehow – there's a way to see exactly what file is being called and when – what line is being processed, and when… and if nothing happens – what is the last thing that DID happen so you could at least find a trail that way… Media temple only pointed me to the support thread on wordpress with the workaround. Which is nice, I'm glad I can "fix" it that way… but I'm the type of person that likes to know WHY. This makes no sense to me.

3 | Gary LaPointe

January 8th, 2009 at 3:54 pm

The weird proxy thing is what made me think of browsers.

Very strange…

4 | Sterling Camden

January 8th, 2009 at 6:15 pm

If you're not rewriting the urls, then the query that gets generated should be

http://domainname.com/?s=d

What happens if you try submitting that directly in the browser?

5 | Jennifer

January 8th, 2009 at 7:10 pm

Depending on the browser's behavior (ie. firefox won't show the url until it's gotten a response, but IE and safari will), yes that will show up in the address field – and if it doesn't – you can type it in exactly with the same result… it hangs.

6 | Ree

January 10th, 2009 at 5:32 pm

If your host has mod_security enabled, the problem may that they have a poorly written mod_security rule. Looks like it's blocking any requests that contain "/?s=d" and come from outside servers (since Media Temple themselves didn't see the problem until they used a proxy server).

I'm no good at debugging mod_security rules, but if I'm right, Media Temple might be able to dig through their ruleset (if they have one) and figure out the problem. Good luck!

7 | Jennifer

January 10th, 2009 at 5:42 pm

Interesting. That would make sense. Is there anyway for me to check the mod security settings via SSH?

8 | Jennifer

January 10th, 2009 at 6:55 pm

It will be difficult at this point for me to completely resolve this as the project has been finished and handed over the client (so I can't really go back in to their control panel, or mess with any of their setting at this point) – however, I thought I would add this interesting test I did tonight just browsing their site. Yes, if I add /?s=d – it times out… BUT if I add another variable in there BEFORE that, like this /?a=d&s=d – the search runs through fine. but reverse those two: /?s=d&a=d – it hangs.

They might be calling us again to work on another project on that site for them, if so, I am going to call Media Temple and ask them about a rouge mod_security rule for "/?s=d". That would make a lot of sense.