[wp-trac] Re: [WordPress Trac] #8910: Limit the RSS widget from using its own url

[WordPress Trac]

#8910: Limit the RSS widget from using its own url
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  Reporter:  webmaestro  |        Type:  defect (bug)                                                                      
    Status:  reopened    |    Priority:  lowest                                                                            
 Milestone:              |   Component:  Widgets                                                                           
   Version:  2.8         |    Severity:  major                                                                             
Resolution:              |    Keywords:  needs-patch, rss, widget, url, HTTP/1.0, server, loop, feed, recent posts, archive
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Changes (by casabsolute):

 * cc: casabsolute (added)
  * keywords:  needs-patch => needs-patch, rss, widget, url, HTTP/1.0,
               server, loop, feed, recent posts, archive
  * status:  closed => reopened
  * resolution:  invalid =>
  * severity:  minor => major


Comment:

 Apologies - Reopening because we had a major server issue/database
 corruption related directly to this bug and was told at the Wordpress MU
 forums that this is a Wordpress issue, not strictly MU.

 Check this post here for further info -
 http://mu.wordpress.org/forums/topic/9431?replies=8#post-76328

 Our server was getting slammed with GET / HTTP/1.0 requests over and over
 and over - several per second - rampant unneccessary usage of CPU cycles.

 We finally tracked the issue down to the built-in RSS widget -

 If blog address = http://myblog.funblog.com and feed is at =
 http://myblog.funblog.com/feed

 If using the RSS widget to display the most recent posts from the blog it
 is activated on, user MUST input the feed address "EXACTLY" as above.

 Adding a trailing slash - such as = http://myblog.funblog.com/feed/ - OR -
 not adding /feed - such as = http://myblog.funblog.com - inside the widget
 causes the server to go into an infinite loop when someone brings up that
 blog in their browser window.

 In our case, it also corrupted database tables and filled the server
 logs/space on the server until it was tracked down and resolved.

 Possible resolutions -

 a. Add a check into the built-in RSS widget to not allow invalid URLs
 (those with a trailing slash or without /feed at the end).

 b. Make it clearer (stupid-proof) that the built-in RSS widget is to be
 used for OUTSIDE feeds, and that the Archive widget can be used to display
 Recent Posts from the blog you are adding it to (same end product the user
 is probably looking for in reaching for the RSS widget first, but doesn't
 realize it's just that easy and is over-thinking it).

-- 
Ticket URL: <http://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/8910#comment:6>
WordPress Trac <http://core.trac.wordpress.org/>
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