Spudinski part of how this 'hack' works is the following
Hacker logs in, goes to Preferances finds "display picture or Signature"
The insert a query involving staff_special.php (the same query the Admin does when he changes a users_level in that file.
Then when an Admin views their profile, poof they just made that user an Admin w/o their knowledge.
Another way to do it is using <meta tag> refreshes in Player reports, or
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refreshes in Forums.
Also, if their IP isnt secured they use a firefox add-on that re-directs IP stuff using a code like 2', user_leve='2 in the add-on. That sets them admin as well.
Forums/cmarket most have figured out how to secure now, there are to many loop holes to fix with McCodes
Personally I did the following
Validate an Imagesize on your preferances for Display Picture
Use htmlspecialchars/entities/MRES on signatures
On viewuser where the output is given strip tags with htmlspecial chars etc where needed.
Change your staff files or put them in a folder and change links in scripts as needed.
I changed my user_level system completely, no longer have user_level in my game it goes off something differant.
Staff Password protection on all files
Have a script in header as well
Works as such, in the database, i set a "admin password" in my users table. If they are admin, the header checks to see if that user has a admin password in the database, if they dont it auto feds them.
You can take an extra step here if you have a solid IP and use it to check that users IP address to, set an IP in a folder on your cpanel and if that users IP doesnt match the IPS you have set as Admins it bans them as well, although most users dont have a static IP that becomes a little more touchy.
Hope some of that helped.