WEBFOXSelected work
EN

Media platform · Migration · Ongoing engineering

A new publishing platform for a newsroom facing cyberattacks.

We built a new website for Novosti Donbasu, developed tools to migrate its archive and took an active part in defending the platform against attacks from launch.

Project overview

Our role
Platform development, migration tools, attack defence and ongoing support
Foundation
WordPress · Adapted theme and custom modules
Operations
Caddy · MySQL · Redis · Cloudflare Tunnel
01

The newsroom

A platform for the newsroom’s daily work.

Development of the new site was already underway when the legacy website was compromised and subsequently lost. We adapted WordPress to the newsroom’s publishing workflow: language versions, navigation, article templates and the editing interface. Alongside the public website, we developed tools to prepare and import the existing archive.

Novosti Donbasu article index with Ukrainian navigation and an editorial grid.
  • 01Multilingual publishing
  • 02Editorial tools
  • 03Custom modules
02

Legacy content

Custom tools for migrating the archive.

The old archive used a different content structure. Publication types, languages, tags and images needed to be mapped to WordPress fields. We built preparation scripts and a custom import plugin with a preview mode, options to create or update publications, and control over which fields to change. Imports run in batches and record their actions in a log. A separate component uses original publication IDs to handle legacy links.

Migration tooling — simplified data flow

  1. Legacy records

    Publication type · Language · Original ID

  2. Preparation and mapping

    Tags and images · Field mapping · Preview run

  3. WordPress import

    Create or update · Selected fields · Action log

Publication types, languages, tags and images are mapped before records are created or updated.

  • 01Custom import plugin
  • 02Selective updates
  • 03Legacy links
03

Incident handling

Cleaning legacy content and defending the new site.

Before migrating the archive, we examined a copy of the old database and found signs of infection in publication content, including injected scripts and embedded frames. We shared the findings with the newsroom and CERT-UA specialists, and cleaned the inherited content during migration. From launch, our team took an active part in defending the new site: analysing requests, applying blocks and improving its protection. Responding to attacks became part of our ongoing technical support.

IMI article reporting the attack on Novosti Donbasu, with the publication date and author.

IMI reporting on the attack, 18 March 2026. Article by Yuliia Harkusha.

  • 01Database analysis
  • 02Content cleanup
  • 03Attack defence
04

Beyond release

Supporting the platform after launch.

After launch, we fixed database errors and improved resource loading, background tasks and caching. We set up separate production and test environments on the server, each with its own database and file storage. We also developed backup tools for database dumps and file archives, checksum verification, remote transfer and a restore procedure. Application configuration, media and backup storage are managed separately.

Production architecture · September 2026

  1. Cloudflare → Tunnel

    The public domain routes to the origin

  2. Caddy

    Static files and media · Requests to PHP-FPM

  3. WordPress / PHP-FPM

    Publishing application · Scheduled WordPress tasks

  4. MySQL + Redis

    Publication data + object cache

Production and test run on the same VPS, with separate databases and file storage. Redis provides object caching.

  • 01Production and test
  • 02Backup tools
  • 03Ongoing support

The result

A new website and tools built for the newsroom.

Novosti Donbasu gained a multilingual WordPress platform with adapted publishing workflows and custom editorial components. Our migration tools accounted for the structure of its existing archive, including publication types, languages and legacy identifiers.

Ongoing work

Launch was the start of the next stage.

After the new site went live, we continued improving editorial tools, supporting the infrastructure and helping defend the platform against attacks. Development and technical support remained part of the same project.

Related capabilities

Have a related challenge?Discuss your platform ↗
Next case
Anhora

An AI assistant that answers using company knowledge.

WEBFOX

Updated 12 September 2026

This notice explains how the Webfox studio website handles your information. Webfox is the studio brand; it is not presented here as the name of a registered legal entity.

Contact and responsibility

For questions about your information, contact hello@webfox.net.ua.

Project enquiries

When you submit the form, we process the information you provide: name, email, optional or call-required telephone number, project description, project type, budget, timing and preferred contact method. We use it to respond, clarify your request and discuss possible services. Please do not include passwords, payment details or sensitive personal information.

How enquiries reach us

The website sends enquiries to a private Slack channel used by the studio. The form endpoint does not create a separate enquiry database. Slack and hosting infrastructure process data to deliver and operate this service. Information may be processed outside your country under the providers’ terms and safeguards.

Analytics and browser storage

Google Analytics (measurement ID G-TCF6PNVEWD) and Vercel Speed Insights are optional and load only after you accept analytics. They measure site usage and performance; Google Analytics can use cookies and device or browser information. We do not intentionally send form contents or contact details to analytics. Hosting infrastructure may still process technical requests and security logs without optional analytics.

Your choice

You can accept or reject analytics without losing access to the website or enquiry form. We save this browser’s choice in local storage (webfox.analytics-consent.v2). Change it through Privacy settings in the footer. When storage is unavailable, the choice applies only in the current tab. Rejecting stops optional measurement and removes accessible Google Analytics cookies; it does not erase data already sent to providers. Opening or closing Privacy or Terms is not consent.

Retention and requests

We keep enquiry correspondence while it is needed to handle the request, manage any resulting work and meet applicable obligations. There is no fixed automatic deletion schedule configured for the Slack channel yet. Contact us to request access, correction or deletion of your information, or to raise an objection; we will review the request and explain any applicable limitations. Analytics retention follows the provider configuration, which is still being reviewed.

External services and changes

Links to other websites are governed by those websites’ policies. If an external chat or other service is offered, its data handling needs to be considered separately from this enquiry form. We will update this notice when the operator details, providers or processing arrangements change.

hello@webfox.net.ua