OJS Upgrade & Security Fix

Overview

The journal runs on an old version of OJS. The person who set it up has left. Upgrades were postponed because the last one broke something, and now there is a security notice you cannot ignore. Platform Rescue & Upgrade takes that installation and brings it to a current, supported, secure release without losing your data.

This is for any institution running Open Journal Systems, the free, open-source software from the Public Knowledge Project (PKP), on its own servers or with a host that no longer maintains it. It applies equally to a neglected instance and to one that has been actively compromised.

What’s Included

• Assessment — version, customizations, plugins, database health, file integrity, PHP and server environment, and any signs of compromise; written findings and an upgrade plan
• Clean upgrade path — staged upgrades through required intermediate versions on a copy of your instance, resolving plugin and theme incompatibilities along the way
• Security remediation — removal of malicious code where found, credential rotation and closing the entry point
• Data verification — counts and spot checks of submissions, issues, users, files, reviews and DOIs against the original, with a verification report
• Hardening — file permissions, configuration review, HTTPS, email authentication, backup configuration and update procedure
• Handover — documentation of what was changed and how to keep the instance current

How It Works

1. You provide access (or a full backup); we assess and return findings with a fixed quote.
2. We rehearse the upgrade on a staging copy until it is clean.
3. We schedule a maintenance window, take a final backup and run the production upgrade.
4. We verify data, apply hardening and hand over documentation. Pricing is a fixed fee per installation, set after the assessment; the assessment itself is quoted separately and credited against the upgrade.

Platform Independence

Your instance stays yours. We work on your servers or hand back a clean, upgraded copy to deploy where you choose. OJS is open-source; your domain, DOI prefix and data are untouched by this service. Leave any time with everything.

Important Limitations

• Custom code — heavily modified core files or abandoned custom plugins may not survive an upgrade unchanged; we will tell you before work begins what can be carried forward and what needs to be rebuilt.
• Compromised data — if an attacker altered or deleted content before we were engaged, we restore from the best available backup; we cannot recover what was never backed up.
• Environment — the target server must meet current OJS requirements (PHP, database versions). Server upgrades are your responsibility or can be quoted.
• External fees — none are expected for this service; any third-party charges are passed through at cost.

Common Questions

How long will the journal be offline?
Usually a single maintenance window, because the upgrade is rehearsed on staging first.

Can you move us to your hosting at the same time?
Yes. The upgraded instance can be deployed onto NeucitePress managed hosting, and migration in is free with an annual plan.

What if we want to stay current afterwards?
The Technical Support Plan covers ongoing upgrades and security patches for client-owned instances.

Request a proposal, or begin with the Journal Health Check.