DoubleClick Hit by DDoS Attack

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DoubleClick Hit by DDoS Attack

Posted by ryuzaki0 on Thursday July 29, 2004 @10:31AM from the hard-rain-falls dept.

YetAnotherName writes "The Washington Times is reporting that everyone's most beloved online advertising distributor, DoubleClick, was subject to a DoS attack crippling the company's DNS servers, and preventing up to 75% of advertising from making it to web pages and surfers' eyes."

17 of 531 comments (clear)

Sad news by Lord+Grey · 2004-07-29 10:32 · Score: 5, Funny

... subject to a DoS attack crippling the company's DNS servers ...
It is truly sad when Internet blackhats target a large, upstanding company like ....
Oh, wait. It was DoubleClick?
Can I donate some computer time?

--
// Beyond Here Lie Dragons
1. Re:Sad news by dfurie · 2004-07-29 10:34 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  I think you're on to something. I think its time to give up on SETI and Folding@home and make a new distributed project to better man-kind; a doubleclick DDoS'er.
2. Re:Sad news by adam+mcmaster · 2004-07-29 10:37 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  I agree, adblock is very useful.
3. Re:Sad news by Compholio · 2004-07-29 10:37 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  When they arrest the guy who did it we should put together a paypal donation to take care of his legal costs.
4. Re:Sad news by eegad · 2004-07-29 10:37 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Was this some other DoS attack besides posting their URL on Slashdot?
5. Re:Sad news by JPriest · 2004-07-29 10:43 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  Not that box, I am pinging their primary DNS server and still getting a reply, they have 4.
  ns1.doubleclick.net
  ns2.doubleclick.net
  ns3.doubleclick.net
  ns4.doubleclick.net
  This way you can check your networks to see if any machines are hitting these DNS server. I am going to keep my ping going to make sure ns1 stays online. j/k
  You can do your part to reduce the load by adding doubleclicks ad-servers to your /etc/hosts file as 127.0.0.1 (this can be done in windows too).
  
  --
  Saying Java is nice because it works on all OS's is like saying that anal sex is nice because it works on all genders.
6. Re:Sad news by JabberWokky · 2004-07-29 11:18 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Am I the only person left who thinks it is unethical to use a person's site and block their ads? I find it deeply troubling that there are many people who work for or would like to work for internet companies that turn around and bite the prevailing revenue source for those same companies.
  You can argue all you want, it is a matter of personal belief. I consider it to be something that should not be made illegal, but also something that is terribly impolite to do and does have a negative effect upon something that you like enough to patronize.
  It's kind of like when the cool coffee house with all the great local bands closes down because nobody bought any coffee. Everybody bitches how much it sucks, but never connects that they were taking up a chair for four hours without buying a drink.
  If you like the site, how about some respect for the people who work on it? Common decency appears to be growing much less common.
  --
  Evan
  
  --
  "$30 for the One True Ring. $10 each additional ring!" -- JRR "Bob" Tolkien
7. Re:Sad news by Captain+Nitpick · 2004-07-29 12:27 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  That's because they don't. They were referring to the people who pay them to place their ads; the people who click on the ads would be Doubleclick's customers' customers.
  
  The people who click on the ads are Doubleclick's product.
  
  --
  But then again, I could be wrong.
Good or bad? by EdZ · 2004-07-29 10:33 · Score: 5, Insightful

I'm not sure whether the encouragement of DDOS-ing even 'evil' companies should be encouraged.
On behalf.. by Anonymous Coward · 2004-07-29 10:33 · Score: 5, Funny

On behalf of the Slashdot community, I would just like to say that this was indeed a terrible thing. I, and I believe I speak for everyone here when I say this, greatly missed the DoubleClick ads. Their intrusive nature, attempted trickery, and bright flashy lights are what make my internet experience what it is.

I hope that whoever did this terrible act is brought to justice, as such a horrible thing cannot go unpunished!
I didn't notice by Patik · 2004-07-29 10:36 · Score: 5, Informative

I've had the following in my HOSTS file for a while now

0.0.0.0 ad.doubleclick.com 0.0.0.0 ads.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 ad2.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 ad3.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 ad4.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 ad5.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 ad6.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 ad7.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 ad8.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 ad9.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 ad10.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 ad11.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 ad12.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 ad13.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 ad14.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 ad15.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 ad16.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 ad17.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 ad18.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 ad19.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 ad20.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 ad.ch.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 ad.ca.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 ad.de.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 ad.fr.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 ad.jp.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 ad.nl.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 ad.no.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 ad.uk.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 ln.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 m.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 m2.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 iv.doubleclick.net 0.0.0.0 ebay.doubleclick.net

Lameness filter randomness: eed d ed wdwe de ff g v fdovk fok fb f osvi jfvioj asv d vp vv jspavj spav dsv aspdvj ede oijf o greg ewrg
1. Re:I didn't notice by owlmon · 2004-07-29 10:57 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  > I've had the following in my HOSTS file for a while now
  >
  > 0.0.0.0 ad.doubleclick.com
  > 0.0.0.0 ads.doubleclick.net
  > ...
  
  Some alternatives that are fun:
  
  1. Install privoxy from sourceforge.net. This is a local http proxy that allows you to filter out web content using regular expressions. So you can easily blank out any URL that contains the string "doubleclick." This is easier and more complete than trying to enumerate all the hostnames that Doubleclick Inc. uses. Privoxy is multi-platform; you can use it under Linux, Windows, etc.
  
  2. Install posadis from sourceforge.net. This is a caching DNS server that you can install on your computer. It allows you to control how domain names (like *.doubleclick.net) get resolved by ALL the programs on your computer. I use it to essentially blackhole domains that I don't like. Once again, this is a multi-platform project. In particular, under Windoze, it runs as a service. It has an irritating bug: under Windoze, it will occasionally start using 100% CPU. When this happens, you have to restart the posadis service. A hassle, verily. But I enjoy having the control that derives from running my own DNS server.
  
  3. Use a firewall (hardware or software) to block out numeric IP addresses. For example, 216.73.92.112 is www.doubleclick.net, so it should be blocked. I used to use this approach. I liked the idea of absolutely blocking any packets going to or from the bad guys, regardless of the DNS name used. The problem with this approach is that outfits like doubleclick.net will use a ton of different numeric IP addresses, and it's difficult to keep up with them.
Problem with infrastructure companies by PIPBoy3000 · 2004-07-29 10:36 · Score: 5, Interesting

The issue wasn't that Double Click had problems, but that every site that uses them become very slow.

Until the basic routing infrastructure of the net changes, this is going to be a common issue anytime a number of big sites all require another organization to serve up their pages (e.g. Akamai).
Don't tolerate them by zoloto · 2004-07-29 10:39 · Score: 5, Insightful

No matter how much I hate /ads/, a DDoS should not be tolerated no matter to whom it's directed. Weather it's kernel.org or microsoft.com, let's try to use our knowledge constructivly instead of destructivly. How does that sound? And where does any one person think a DDoS will get for anyone as a whole? If anything, it'll bring a stronger resolve to preventative measures and keep them going strong. They have the $!! so where will it really get those who started this "attack"?
Oh boy... by nebulus4 · 2004-07-29 11:00 · Score: 5, Funny

First they are DDOS'ed and now they are going to be /.'ed.. what a day..

--
"It would be wrong to refuse to face the fact that everything is fundamentally sick and sad."
But I wanted... by krhainos · 2004-07-29 11:01 · Score: 5, Funny

... to enter to recieve my free iPod Mini

--
-K
Probably by Sycraft-fu · 2004-07-29 14:03 · Score: 5, Insightful

Do you consider it unethical to read a newspaper without reading their ads? Record a TV show and then fast forward through the commercials later? Get up and get food/go to the bathroom during commercials? Throw away mail flyers for products? Use a text based browser? Have a visual imparement?

In all these cases, you are ignoring/blocking ads. Sites have a right to try and advertise, but it's your computer, and you have a right to change the presentation to meet your needs.

Also if the advertisers learned a little something form successful advertising, such as Google and newspapers, they would have a much better chance of not getting blocked:

1) Be less obtrusive. The web is a random access media. Interrupting people with full screen or popup ads is annoying and counter the operation of the web. Thus people hate them and want them gone.

2) Be relivant. Do nto slather your ad over ever site on the internet. Target your ad at sites that attract people that care.

3) Be honest. A large number of ads are highly deceptive in their nature.

Double click violates all of these their ads are a pain, they advertise whatever, wherever and most of them are "Punch the monkey and win" or "You have a message" or "Your computer is broadcasting an Internet IP address".

I LIKE Google ads, since they relate to what I search for. Thus, if I want to buy something, I search and then look in the right hand column since the ads are unobtrusive, relivant to what I want, and honestly trying to sell me it.