1) Give a description of the problem
So about 3 weeks ago I was messing around with my ST and managed to mess it up royally. So bad I had to redo all switches and sensors. As a result I also had to redo Webcore. Fast forward to 3 days ago and I’ve started to receive SMS notifications from my previous Webcore installment. Is there any way to track these down and stop them?
Ghost Piston Sending SMS Messages
NealT
#1
ipaterson
#4
SmartThings support may be able to help. If you see anything in Live Logging from those pistons that might help support track them down. In that context you will probably be asking them to “disable a SmartApp that I deleted on XX date but that is still running on the platform” since any mention of webCoRE tends to get a quick no.
In this case, webCoRE is not the SmartApp that’s still running, each piston is a separate SmartApp. It would probably be helpful for support to track down the piston if an ID pops up in live logging, but the name of the piston could be helpful too if you remember it.
NealT
#6
I thought that as well but only have one instance running. I spoke with Samsung and they had me clear the phone cache. I’ll see what happens @ 9:00 am tomorrow.
NealT
#8
So after numerous calls with SmartThings support we are unable to track down the issue. When the piston exacts there is no live log being generated. We’ve cleared the phone cache, disabled notification, made sure there was only one hub in the IDE and still getting the notification. As a last resort today I “Disabled all pistons” within webCoRe settings and still got the notification. I’m wondering if any of you thought the following would work?
- Backup All pistons
- Remove webCoRe completely
- Reinstall webCoRe with a completely new name (different from current and past instance)
- Restore or rewrite all of my pistons.
Thank you in advance for any and all feedback.
jkp
#9
If you login to IDE at https://account.SmartThings.com and go to Locations > smartapps … you only see one instance of webcore with your current pistons in the list? If you only see one instance then doubtful removing webcore would resolve the issue. But that is only my take on the situation.
jkp
#10
What type of notificationsare you receiving and for what devices? Any chance you set up a response in STHM for sensors? Or an automation?
orangebucket
#11
You seem confident this is coming from a webCoRE piston. Do you know what it is that makes that piston run?
NealT
#12
It’s a notification from a battery monitor that was on the old instance. Since it’s not showing in live logs within ST the only thing I can think of is WC. I have no automations built within the ST app, they are all in WC.
NealT
#14
I had the Battery Monitor setup to send a text at 9:00AM with any devise that is 20% or less. It’s telling me all devices from from my old instance are low.
orangebucket
#15
Sounds like the perfect rogue piston. Runs on a daily timer and apparently still makes a nuisance of itself with devices that don’t exist.
I am wondering if knowing one or more of the device IDs of the devices it was monitoring would give a way of attacking it. Presumably that info might be in a piston backup in some form.
I’m a bit surprised there aren’t logs related to SMS where it would leave footprints too.
NealT
#16
Unfortunately like an idiot I don’t have a back. That’s one thing I’ve started doing on a reg bases.
I’m open to try anything at this point.
jkp
#17
Ok, let’s try it again… do not look in the main Smartapps section.
Look in the Locations section and you will see a smartapps listing within your Home location… click on that and ensure there is only one instance of webcore. Even though I do not expect you to find anything unusual but just checking,
NealT
#19
So very interesting… I just setup a test piston to see if any SMS was logging in ST and nothing is showing. Does that seem right?
jkp
#20
I see two instances of webcore 
but looks like one is inside the other perhaps? Tagging @ipaterson
I am not touching this one… let the more experienced folks help