Slashdot Mirror
Lycos Anti-Spam Screensaver Brings Down Spam Sites
ChairmanMeow writes "According to BBC News, the screensaver released by Lycos Europe that targets spam websites has been a bit too successful at targeting spam sites, bringing down two sites, with a third responding intermittently, and raising concerns that the screensaver amounts to a DDoS attack against spam sites. Of course, spammers deserve to be punished, but will DDoS attacks against spam websites help to curb the problem of spam?" While the screensaver allegedly throttles back when a site slows, it would seem it's being a bit overzealous.
It's nothing illegal. Just packet spam.
Your ad here.
Post the links to the sites it targetted, we can finish them off!
can't sleep slashdot will eat me
What a horrible thing to do to those friendly neighborhood spammers. :(
Netcraft confirms it: Spam is dead.
Using a DDOS on spammers is kind of like sending an arsonist to burn down the house of a murderer...
I think it is more akin to a group of people going over to a murderer's house and beating him to death with baseball bats.
Nothing wrong with that.
Someone get the world's smallest violin immediately!
"Enough of this wretched, whining monkey life." -- Marcus Aurelius, _Meditations_, Book 9, 37
Don't you feel the same? I'm sure you do.
Wouldn't it be great if someone would create a screensaver that would automatically visit the websites of the vendors of these enticing offers and display them on my screen? I'm a fast reader so it would be great if it could show a few each second.
That way, I'd be able to read all about their exciting products without having to do anything at all.
If there was such a screensaver, maybe lots of people would download it. After all, I'm sure we're all interested in the products on offer. And what e-entrepeneur wouldn't want to have thousands of interested potential customers visit his web site every second?
It's not a DDoS, it's just unsolicited bulk requests!
line will creep down at Internet speed.
African internet speed or European internet speed?
paintball
"Using a DDOS on spammers is kind of like sending an arsonist to burn down the house of a murderer..."
except without the fires and dead people...
...NETCRAFT CONFIRMS IT
the Lycos screensaver is dying (but it'll take a few spammers down with it)
Uh, they probably won't see much communication here...
Cheers, Ryan
Hurricane Ivan: A 17th century prison collapsed. All of the inmates escaped.
Dear Spammer,
I hope you enjoy the packets we are sending you. This is a not SPAM. Previously you opted-in for these packets. If you would like to be removed from our packet list, please turn off your machine. Thank you.
It's only funny til someone gets hurt.......... then it's hilarious !
music lover since 1969
I *really* like the sound of the phrase let their routers burn. Beautiful. Thank you.
When someone sends a SYN, you don't have to respond with an ACK. If they don't like it, they should delete those packets and get on with their day.
Whiners
Like screensavers capable of emiting EMP's targeted at those spammer boxes. That would be really cool.
"...a bit overzealous." Are you an idiot or what? If spam servers anywhere catch fire and melt it's a gift to humanity. Those bastards are a blight upon the entire industry. Nuke 'em!
"...a bit overzealous." Bullshit.