lycos's spam offensive

[kronas]

Originally Posted by Graham

Sorry? Launching DOS attacks is now *legal*???

the link says they checked it out.

i thought the same too.

[Richard M]

Originally Posted by Graham

Sorry? Launching DOS attacks is now *legal*???

It's not a DOS attack, it only requests web pages and the moment the site starts responding slowly the software will back off.
You've obviously never seen a real DDOS, it's constant and can do real damage.

[Shaun]

Well my screen saver can't access the servers at the moment, wonder why?

What a daft idea - I would advise you to be very careful - this *is* a DDOS attack - it's a planned, distributed, attempt to kill a server or servers, end of story. If they report you to your isp they will quite possibly take action. I doubt ntl would view it very favourably.

Weblink doesn't work any way, looks like there's an internet war going on

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by Richard M

It's not a DOS attack, it only requests web pages and the moment the site starts responding slowly the software will back off.
You've obviously never seen a real DDOS, it's constant and can do real damage.

It is a Denial of Service attack. They are using a network of PCs to attack the Spammer's computers, thus slowing the computers. Just because the screen saver backs off after a while doesn't mean it's any less of a DOS. BTW, I have seen a real DOS...

I personally think Spammers are **** and should be treated with nothing but scorn, but I think people should bear a few things in mind:

1) You may be DOSing an innocent person's machine. Spammers are increasingly using Botnets (networks of trojan-infected PCs). After all, how would any of us feel if this screensaver DOSed our machines? It's also possible that you could be DOSing a machine that does something important.

2) Whether legal or not, I believe most ISPs have a clause in their Acceptable Use Policy that spefically bans attacks like this. I haven't got time to look for it, but I am certain NTL does..

3) Who's to say the Spammers won't just get a new IP then start again? Thus rendering any blacklists invalid. At least if the user blocks Spam, the Spammers don't know (and probably don't care) they are doing it.


In the meantime, if this scheme takes off, the increased network traffic will slow the internet down for a lot of people (even if it is only very slightly).

It appears that the screensaver has been more popular than Lycos bargained for, resulting in some spam websites actually being taken down completely or being rendered effectively unuseable.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4061375.stm

Well, cry me a river.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by Chris T

It appears that the screensaver has been more popular than Lycos bargained for, resulting in some spam websites actually being taken down completely or being rendered effectively unuseable.
<snip>

If they are on a shared server (or shared connection in a Data Centre), then DDOSing Spam sites like this could very well knock innocent sites of the web..


Much better to do what some enterprising people at /. (slashdot) did... http://www.theregister.co.uk/2002/12...s_junk_mailed/

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by scastle

<snip>
I personally think Spammers are **** and should be treated with nothing but scorn, but I think people should bear a few things in mind:
<snip>
2) Whether legal or not, I believe most ISPs have a clause in their Acceptable Use Policy that spefically bans attacks like this. I haven't got time to look for it, but I am certain NTL does..
<snip>

I have now checked, and using this screensaver would seem to violate Section 4 of the Acceptable Use Policy..

4. Unacceptable Behaviour

Nobody may use the Service, either directly or indirectly:

1. to threaten, harass or cause distress, annoyance or discomfort to any other person or entity;
2. to intentionally disrupt or adversely affect any other person or entity's access to or use of the Internet or any features which form part of the Internet;
3. to transmit or cause to be transmitted any advertising, promotional or other materials that are unsolicited (commonly known as "spam");
4. to transmit or cause to be transmitted mail bombs, chain letters or pyramid schemes

Note, I am not saying it is wrong to use this screensaver, just that if NTL find out you are doing it, they would have every right to terminate your connection.

[LooeyUK]

Well, looks like Lycos have pulled it...

[kronas]

Originally Posted by LooeyUK

Well, looks like Lycos have pulled it...

they have, with spammers and ISP's to blame.

The Moretgage.info Web page was changed to contain an HTML Meta Refresh tag that forwards all requests to view the page to www.makelovenotspam.com, effectively using the screen saver to launch attacks on Lycos' Web site, F-Secure said. Requests for Moretgage.info were still being forwarded to Makelovenotspam.com this morning.

Internet service providers are treating Lycos' network of machines running the "Make Love, Not Spam" screen saver in the same way they treat "botnets" of compromised systems that are controlled by malicious hackers or online criminal organizations and that are often used to distribute spam or launch DDOS attacks, he said.

source: computerworld

http://www.computerworld.com/softwar...7990p2,00.html

[Richard M]

What a sad ending to what was an excellent idea.
The spammers have won again.

[danielf]

Originally Posted by Richard M

What a sad ending to what was an excellent idea.
The spammers have won again.

It appears some would disagree:

Originally Posted by computerworld

The [Make Love, Not Spam] application isn't really all that well thought out. In a way, it's doing a DDOS attack, and DDOS attacks are always a bad thing, because there are always innocent bystanders who get hit as well," he said.

"I would have to characterize it as an astonishingly stupid idea," said John Levine, co-chair of the Internet Research Task Force's Antispam Research Group.

<snip>
"This is like a lame idea that a college kid would think of, not something a serious company would do," Levine said.

[Richard M]

Indeed, but at least they were doing something.
If anything, they've highlighted the spam problem a bit more.

[danielf]

Originally Posted by Richard M

Indeed, but at least they were doing something.
If anything, they've highlighted the spam problem a bit more.

I agree