Text 649, 86 rader
Skriven 2004-12-02 18:08:40 av Alan Zisman (1:106/2000.0)
    Kommentar till text 638 av Gerald Miller (1:342/512)
Ärende: Re: Fighting the SPAM
=============================
Lots of discussion about this online... one of the servers that has been
flooded as a result of this screensaver put a simple redirect on their
webserver-- redirecting all the requests to Lycos's screensaver website--
effectively slowing it down.

Meanwhile there's discussion that the screensaver, while well-intentioned, is
pretty close to a denial of service attack, and results in flooding the Net,
slowing down service for everybody.

I predict that particular screen saver will not be available for long.

More:
http://www.computerworld.com/softwaretopics/software/groupware/story/0,10801,97990,00.html



-=> Gerald Miller wrote to All <=-

 GM> Hello All,

 GM> I recently read the following message in another Fidonet echo area:

 GM> === Cut Begin: Message Post Tue 30 Nov 04 11:37 ===
 GM> I recently downloaded a screensaver by Lycos that actively fights spam.

 GM> Here is how it works:

 GM> You install it on your PC.  When the computer goes over to standby
 GM> mode, it activates like any other screensaver.  And then the fun
 GM> begins.

 GM> The screensaver sends a request to a Lycos-maintained database to
 GM> "view" a website hosted by known spam-senders.  The database selects a
 GM> spam site and sends the request to the spammer.  Your browser never
 GM> sees the page, but the spammer's server doesn't know that - it still
 GM> sends the packet out, using up a bit of bandwidth.

 GM> The anti-spam database never allows so many requests out to one site at
 GM> one time that it would constitute a "denial of service" attack.  It
 GM> only sends out enough to seriously jack the spammer's bandwidth usage
 GM> (and bog their servers down to a crawl.)  Remember that spamming
 GM> companies pay for their internet presences according to the amount of
 GM> bandwidth they use, so screensavers like this put a SERIOUS dent in
 GM> their bottom lines.  Heh.

 GM> Here is the link for you to download your very own copy:

 GM>     http://makelovenotspam.com/intl/

 GM> Their server is VERY slow because the news about this screensaver hit
 GM> the BBC newswire today.

 GM> -+-
 GM> === Cut End:   Message Post Tue 30 Nov 04 11:37 ===

 GM> Okay, I thought, why not.

 GM> I went to the link and got the following message:

 GM> ========================================================================
 GM> ===
 GM> Yes, attacking spammers is wrong, you know this, you shouldn't be doing
 GM> it. Your ip address and request have been logged and will be reported
 GM> to your ISP for further action.
 GM> ========================================================================
 GM> ===

 GM> Yesterday, I went to the link again, was successful in downloading the
 GM> screensaver and I installed it.

 GM> I must say that it looks very impressive -- a world map with a "missile
 GM> launch" from my geographical location to various sites on the map...

 GM> Being a sceptic, I have to ask if this screensaver is actually
 GM> performing the action as purported in the message or is it some
 GM> cleverly devised graphical display?

 GM>            Thanks ... Gerald

 GM> ... I had to give up being a vegetarian because of the side effects.
 GM> --- GoldED+/DPMI32 v1.1.5-040330 [msg of December 02, 2004]
 GM>  * Origin: Anything not tied down is a cat toy. (1:342/512)

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