Posted by
CmdrTaco
on from the i've-seen-this-before dept.
Zendar writes "idg has an article about how students at the 151-year-old Tufts University were paid as little as $20/month to relay spam from computers in their dorms. Interestingly enough, the students approached the spammers about this scheme and not vice-versa."
Tracked using MAC address
by
monkey_tennis
·
· Score: 5, Interesting
Interesting that they tracked the individuals down using MAC addresses for computers in their dorms...
I've never heard of any other Uni having the foresight to record this and it seems like a valid piece of info to have to include in any registration document (as per cable modem setup)
Re:Tracked using MAC address
by
garcia
·
· Score: 5, Interesting
I was compromised at one point in time my freshman year and had a smurf attack originate from my machine. They were able to track it down in under 2 hours to my specific port. They shut me down immediately. I had to contact the head of IT directly for reinstatement.
Although it was pretty obvious who was using the most bandwith even w/a tool like iptraf.
An interesting look at one of the things students will lower themselves to do to pay for their $80 calculus book.
-- "I only speak the truth"
Karma: null(Mostly affected by an unassigned variable)
They got bought cheap!
by
FunWithHeadlines
·
· Score: 4, Interesting
It sure doesn't take much to compromise a person's self-respect or integrity. $20/month in exchange for contributing to a problem that everyone hates, and knowing full well that everyone hates it? They sold out cheap.
It's sort of like the trend for journalist majors to wind up in PR jobs for corporations doing nasty things. The lure of extra money covers over any hesitation they might have in moving from a supposedly neutral position to one that shills for money.
But $20/month? Man, that's some cheap principles. How about we pay them $21/month to turn against the spammers?
---------
Money for using the computer
by
Gortbusters.org
·
· Score: 4, Interesting
has always been a popular fad. Remember those programs you could install and you would get a 10th of a penny for every website you clicked and it had a banner-system (I believe)? Everyone thought they would make hundreds of dollars a month with that. I wish I could remember the name. People love getting money for doing their normal tasks, i.e. using the computer. If relaying spam could be done with little or no active participation by a computer user, who [average computer user] wouldn't turn down 20 bucks?
What does it matter...
by
mjpaci
·
· Score: 4, Interesting
What does it matter that Tufts is 151 years old? Would this be different if it were 310-year-old College of William and Mary in Virginia or 210-year-old Williams College in Williamstown, MA?
It's cheap, yes, but $20 is about 20 boxes of Mac & Cheese. For some students, this could probably feed them for 3/4 of the month.
Realistically though, profit depends on volume. Some few people probably masterminded the idea, and are taking part-profits somehow. If they skimmed $5 from 20 students with relays - that's $100/month. Still not a lot, but cheap for no work.
Students selling information
by
brejc8
·
· Score: 5, Interesting
I have been getting spam addressed to [my_unix_username]@[my_machinename].cs.man.ac.uk My machine passes the mail to me but I have no idea how the people got this address. The only way I can think of is if someone used finger @ on the machines in the department and then stuck the username with the machinename. As far as I am aware the finger@ is blocked to people outside the department so I am starting to suspect that some students are behind this. Especially as the spam is for local companies.
Follow the money?
by
mjh
·
· Score: 4, Interesting
The article mentions that they can't track the original spammers, that all the further that they can get is to the students computers. If they really want to track the spammers can't they track the money?
Which makes me wonder, how do the students get paid? Remaining anonymous is critical to spammers being able to continue doing their thing. How does a spammer actually pay someone w/out being trackable? I can't imagine that they send cash.
-- Key to financial independence: Spend less than you earn. Save and invest the difference. Do it for a long time.
Blacklists work
by
frankie
·
· Score: 3, Interesting
The university I work for has found itself on various spam blacklists each September for the past 3 years. The reason has been the same each time: underclassmen in the dorms installing old RH distros or whatever that includes an open mail relay.
This spring SMTP will be restricted to only approved departmental servers. Anyone else gets dropped at the firewall. It's a shame (academic freedom and all that) but really necessary.
However, I didn't have to spend any more than $150 to get started (I must have had a benevolent leader).
It didn't take me long to quit. I still don't care for their marketing practices. However, the products are great (more than I can say about Amway's product line). I still have mine 12 years since I got them. They're still as sharp and shiny as ever. I even have an inherited set that's over 20 years old. They're in great shape also.
I'm going to risk sounding like a hypocrite. I say if you never bought Cutco knives, and someone approaches you to buy them, give them a try. Money worth spending. However, don't jump at the first offer. Make it a hard sell for them and get the maximum discount you can. Even offer a single amount, take it or leave it, just slightly below their final offer. You'll get a good set of knives, but at the same time you'll effectively discourage the wayward soul from continuing on that dastardly path. You'd be doing them a favor. There's plenty of youth around for Vector Marketing to continue the practice, just don't allow someone get stuck in it.
Slashdot Mirror
Interesting that they tracked the individuals down using MAC addresses for computers in their dorms...
I've never heard of any other Uni having the foresight to record this and it seems like a valid piece of info to have to include in any registration document (as per cable modem setup)
An interesting look at one of the things students will lower themselves to do to pay for their $80 calculus book.
"I only speak the truth"
Karma: null(Mostly affected by an unassigned variable)
It's sort of like the trend for journalist majors to wind up in PR jobs for corporations doing nasty things. The lure of extra money covers over any hesitation they might have in moving from a supposedly neutral position to one that shills for money.
But $20/month? Man, that's some cheap principles. How about we pay them $21/month to turn against the spammers?
---------
has always been a popular fad. Remember those programs you could install and you would get a 10th of a penny for every website you clicked and it had a banner-system (I believe)? Everyone thought they would make hundreds of dollars a month with that. I wish I could remember the name. People love getting money for doing their normal tasks, i.e. using the computer. If relaying spam could be done with little or no active participation by a computer user, who [average computer user] wouldn't turn down 20 bucks?
--------
Free your mind.
What does it matter that Tufts is 151 years old? Would this be different if it were 310-year-old College of William and Mary in Virginia or 210-year-old Williams College in Williamstown, MA?
--Mike
It's cheap, yes, but $20 is about 20 boxes of Mac & Cheese. For some students, this could probably feed them for 3/4 of the month.
Realistically though, profit depends on volume. Some few people probably masterminded the idea, and are taking part-profits somehow. If they skimmed $5 from 20 students with relays - that's $100/month. Still not a lot, but cheap for no work.
I have been getting spam addressed to [my_unix_username]@[my_machinename].cs.man.ac.uk
My machine passes the mail to me but I have no idea how the people got this address.
The only way I can think of is if someone used finger @ on the machines in the department and then stuck the username with the machinename.
As far as I am aware the finger@ is blocked to people outside the department so I am starting to suspect that some students are behind this.
Especially as the spam is for local companies.
Mouse powered Chips, Open source Processors and Lego
The article mentions that they can't track the original spammers, that all the further that they can get is to the students computers. If they really want to track the spammers can't they track the money?
Which makes me wonder, how do the students get paid? Remaining anonymous is critical to spammers being able to continue doing their thing. How does a spammer actually pay someone w/out being trackable? I can't imagine that they send cash.
Key to financial independence: Spend less than you earn. Save and invest the difference. Do it for a long time.
This spring SMTP will be restricted to only approved departmental servers. Anyone else gets dropped at the firewall. It's a shame (academic freedom and all that) but really necessary.
I agree..... I used to sell them also....
However, I didn't have to spend any more than $150 to get started (I must have had a benevolent leader).
It didn't take me long to quit. I still don't care for their marketing practices. However, the products are great (more than I can say about Amway's product line). I still have mine 12 years since I got them. They're still as sharp and shiny as ever. I even have an inherited set that's over 20 years old. They're in great shape also.
I'm going to risk sounding like a hypocrite. I say if you never bought Cutco knives, and someone approaches you to buy them, give them a try. Money worth spending. However, don't jump at the first offer. Make it a hard sell for them and get the maximum discount you can. Even offer a single amount, take it or leave it, just slightly below their final offer. You'll get a good set of knives, but at the same time you'll effectively discourage the wayward soul from continuing on that dastardly path. You'd be doing them a favor. There's plenty of youth around for Vector Marketing to continue the practice, just don't allow someone get stuck in it.