[25877] in North American Network Operators' Group
Re: ARIN whois
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Greg A. Woods)
Mon Nov 22 19:15:39 1999
Message-Id: <m11q3XW-000g5eC@most.weird.com>
Date: Mon, 22 Nov 1999 19:10:34 -0500 (EST)
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From: woods@most.weird.com (Greg A. Woods)
To: nanog@merit.edu
In-Reply-To: <3.0.32.19991122140935.01721d54@odie.av8.com>
Reply-To: nanog@merit.edu (North America Network Operators Group)
Errors-To: owner-nanog-outgoing@merit.edu
[ On Monday, November 22, 1999 at 14:16:25 (-0500), Dean Anderson wrote: ]
> Subject: Re: ARIN whois
>
> Gee. We operated relay services for almost 4 years with only one
> incident before this summer. Since the antispammers started inciting
> attacks, we've been attacked more than 2 dozen times since July.
> Coincidence? I think not.
I think so. Lots and lots of people are suddenly finding their
previously un-touched open relays are now being abused. Just because
they're suddenly abusing you doesn't mean beans. Join the group, but
please stay in line and don't get pushy -- you're no worse of than any
of the rest.
> Also, there aren't very many _real spams_ in the attacks. The attacks
> are spamlike, but generally not spam. But the content of the messages
> doesn't matter. I don't care if its spam or not spam. Services
> rendered are worth money. We are entitled to collect the money
> regardless of the purpose of the relayed messages. If the money
> exceeds $5000, the unauthorized access becomes criminal. We complain
> to FBI. The "relayer" will be found. And we are still entitled to the
> money for the services provided.
No, you're not. No contract was entered into, obviously; and of course
if you didn't protect your services so that they could only be used by
authorised users then there's not much you can do to the so-called
"abusers". This is especially true when there are simple and obvious
technical means of providing guaranteed protection. It's like replacing
the key lock on an unattended service station with a big red manual
on/off switch and changing the neon sign to read "Free Gas -- Help
Yourself!" They're not jimmying the lock because there isn't one!
--
Greg A. Woods
+1 416 218-0098 VE3TCP <gwoods@acm.org> <robohack!woods>
Planix, Inc. <woods@planix.com>; Secrets of the Weird <woods@weird.com>
