XF 1.5 [V1.5.20] - Link Proxy SEO Question

[Hugh Edwards]

Hi,

We have got a load of spam stuff in our SEO that we can see from AHREFS. It all seems to be coming from the Link Proxy service. Basically it's loads of porn and our URL rating has gone down because of it.

I've just upgraded to V1.5.20 in an attempt to try and solve this as I read that this was a previous issue for people - but I don't know how to check that this has worked, and/or how to turn this proxy thing off or whatever. I also can't find any help topics on it.

Could anyone please advise? Thanks very much!

Hugh.

 

[Hugh Edwards]

Anyone who could help would be good.

 

[Optic]

You can try disavowing the backlinks but I personally don't feel it's worth the effort:
https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/2648487?hl=en

 

[Hugh Edwards]

Hello! Thanks for that - yep we've disavowed in Google. I kind of needed to know whether this upgrade to 1.5.20 fixes the issue that allows the spammers to use it in the first place?

 

[nrep]

Can you please post a screenshot of what is happening? I'm not sure I understand how the link proxy system is being abused.

 

[Hugh Edwards]

So this is what shows up on our SEO list (all now disavowed)

https://www.gravyforthebrain.com/xenforo/proxy.php?link=http://nudistboy.eu
https://www.gravyforthebrain.com/xenforo/proxy.php?link=http://nudistcontest.eu
https://www.gravyforthebrain.com/xenforo/proxy.php?link=http://nudistfamily.eu
https://www.gravyforthebrain.com/xenforo/proxy.php?link=http://nudists-pics.eu
https://www.gravyforthebrain.com/xenforo/proxy.php?link=http://slotswall.ru
https://www.gravyforthebrain.com/xenforo/proxy.php?link=http://youngernudists.eu


I don't know how it's being abused either but ut's pointing to the Proxy service, right? Now, I've upgraded to this version in the hope that this is fixed but I can't see a setting anywhere to turn it off etc.

 

[Hugh Edwards]

bump!

 

[nrep]

What does it look like on AHREFs?

Those links could be appearing somewhere on your site as spam, and they're being followed by the AHREFs bot. Does it give you any idea as to which page those links are on?

 

[Hugh Edwards]

Checking - good tip!

 

[Hugh Edwards]

So there are no links in the database that correspond in anyway - but it does look like the proxy link is no longer locating to those websites - so it looks like it's been fixed in this version