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Paul Vixie: 100,000 DSL Modems May Lose Their DNS On July 9

Dante_J writes "Up to 100,000 DSL modems may lose access to DNS come July the 9th, due to scripted web interface changes made to them by DNSChanger. This and other disturbing details were raised by respected Internet elder Paul Vixie during a presentation at the AusCERT 2012 conference."

193 comments

  1. 8.8.8.8 by windcask · · Score: 4, Informative

    What DNS issues?

    1. Re:8.8.8.8 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      +1

      This is much faster than my ISP's DNS, and it doesn't redirect misses to crappy ad-pages either.

    2. Re:8.8.8.8 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Sure, then Google can see every web site, service, anything that you use, even when not using their search. Great idea!

    3. Re:8.8.8.8 by philip.paradis · · Score: 4, Informative

      Any DNS provider you use can do the same thing. If you don't like this, feel free to operate your own resolvers.

      --
      Write failed: Broken pipe
    4. Re:8.8.8.8 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Unban Ethanol-fueled

    5. Re:8.8.8.8 by foradoxium · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I would worry more about your ISP being forced to cache (for 2 years) all the same information for the government or their employers to use then google using your habits to form better directed ads..

      http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=2288

      all it takes is this legislation to gain footing in a few states, then the rest start caving.

      Google watching you really should be the least of your online privacy worries..

    6. Re:8.8.8.8 by EvanED · · Score: 1

      Feel free to suggest alternative public DNS servers. I use Google's so that failed requests, you know, fail, unlike the DNS servers that the ISPs around here provide.

    7. Re:8.8.8.8 by bws111 · · Score: 2

      How many DNS providers (usually your ISP) have business models that depend on knowing as much about people as they possibly can?

    8. Re:8.8.8.8 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      feel free to operate your own resolvers

      I do. It's easy.

    9. Re:8.8.8.8 by Jon+Stone · · Score: 1

      feel free to operate your own resolvers.

      Preferably with DNSSEC turned on.

    10. Re:8.8.8.8 by Lifyre · · Score: 4, Insightful

      These days? I would bet more than 50% by traffic probably A LOT more by traffic...

      Do you think Comcast, Time Warner, Cox, AT&T (SBC), Bright House, Verizon etc... aren't? What percentage of DNS services do they provide?

      Even if they don't use it directly many of them are selling it to someone who does.

      --
      I'll meet you at the intersection of "Should be" and "Reality"
    11. Re:8.8.8.8 by wmbetts · · Score: 1

      He got banned?

      --
      "Ubuntu" -- an African word, meaning "Slackware is too hard for me". - stolen from Dan C alt.os.linux.slackware
    12. Re:8.8.8.8 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Any DNS provider you use can do the same thing.

      Not quite. Google's TOS states that you give them full irrevocable rights to anything you access using their service. This is not a common clause and agreeing to such terms for a DNS server seems foolish to me.

    13. Re:8.8.8.8 by mcavic · · Score: 2

      feel free to operate your own resolvers

      Your ISP can still sniff your traffic.

    14. Re:8.8.8.8 by Baloroth · · Score: 3, Informative

      No they don't. See their FAQ.

      --
      "None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license." --John Milton
    15. Re:8.8.8.8 by Dishevel · · Score: 0

      Luckily he was anonymous so we can never tell which he is working for...Apple or Microsoft.

      --
      Why is it so hard to only have politicians for a few years, then have them go away?
    16. Re:8.8.8.8 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why is that comment rated so highly? The issue isn't with any one DNS provider. The issue is that there are hundreds of thousands of DSL modems that were manipulated by a piece of malware running on the local network and these modems now use (and relay to the local network) a DNS server at an address which used to be operated by the same people who distributed the malware. The addresses are now under the control of the FBI which has operated a DNS server in the meantime, but that "service" is going to be turned off and then all the people who don't realize that their DNS resolver has been highjacked will stop being able to use the Internet. You can tout Google's DNS server all you want: That's not going to help those who are oblivious to the problem. In other words, it's PEBCAC, not a DNS problem.

    17. Re:8.8.8.8 by PReDiToR · · Score: 3, Informative

      If this bothers you, or anyone else, try to use https and secure connections wherever possible.
      This means that without some directed effort on the part of your ISP (MITM/brute force) all your ISP knows is which site you visit, not the contents of your conversation with the servers.

      HTTPS-Everywhere helps.

      --

      Do not meddle in the affairs of geeks for they are subtle and quick to anger
    18. Re:8.8.8.8 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Unless he was using Google's DNS, in which case they'll know.

    19. Re:8.8.8.8 by philip.paradis · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Great, so go ahead and set up fully tunneled point to point VPN communications from your home to $somewhere_else. I'm really not kidding; you're completely free to implement this. However, if you're operating at that level of paranoia, make sure you're operating your own DC, with your own fiber, etc. Then of course that upstream provider could still sniff your traffic, so make sure everything is encrypted, ad infinitum. Have fun with all that.

      --
      Write failed: Broken pipe
    20. Re:8.8.8.8 by goombah99 · · Score: 1

      I've read that this can bollix things like Limewire to Akamai by sending you to a far away source rather thant near one that your ISP's DNS would select. I won't pretend to understand that.

      --
      Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
    21. Re:8.8.8.8 by thebigmacd · · Score: 2

      Google DNS uses anycast, which should actually give you a DNS server right close to you.

    22. Re:8.8.8.8 by philip.paradis · · Score: 1

      Unbound is indeed fantastic. It's my resolver of choice, and I use it heavily.

      --
      Write failed: Broken pipe
    23. Re:8.8.8.8 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      8.8.4.4, too.

      4.2.2.[1-6] work as well.

    24. Re:8.8.8.8 by Spikeles · · Score: 1

      Maybe someone should let Google know that it doesn't work.
      nslookup a1.phobos.apple.com 8.8.8.8
      Name: a1.da1.akamai.net
      Address: 203.106.85.64

      tracert 203.106.85.64
      7 pos0-3-0.bdr2.nrt1.internode.on.net (203.16.211.6) 180.163 ms 180.985 ms 182.178 ms
      8 as4788.ix.jpix.ad.jp (210.171.224.194) 229.548 ms 213.651 ms 214.562 ms
      9 * * *
      10 203.106.85.64 (203.106.85.64) 230.374 ms 228.848 ms 229.060 ms

      nslookup a1.phobos.apple.com
      Name: a1.da1.akamai.net
      Address: 203.206.129.16
      7 te1-4.syd-ult-bdr1.iinet.net.au (203.215.20.31) 77.949 ms 79.208 ms 80.695 ms
      8 203-206-129-16.deploy.akamaitechnologies.net (203.206.129.16) 82.029 ms 66.178 ms 66.436 ms

      --
      I don't need to test my programs.. I have an error correcting modem.
    25. Re:8.8.8.8 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      http://server.privacyfoundation.de/index_en.html

      87.118.100.175
      94.75.228.2
      62.141.58.13
      87.118.104.203
      87.118.109.2

      Even supports access on port 110 in case your ISP blocks port 53. You're welcome.

    26. Re:8.8.8.8 by hairyfeet · · Score: 0

      Or you can use Comodo DNS which is good about blocking malware infested sites, or Open DNS or one of the dozen or more free DNS servers out there.

      If someone wants to use Google for DNS I hear that its a good service but it isn't like we don't have a wealth of choices out there. No need to go through the hassle of running your own resolver unless you just want to.

      --
      ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
    27. Re:8.8.8.8 by Spikeles · · Score: 1

      Read the first couple of paragraphs here.

      --
      I don't need to test my programs.. I have an error correcting modem.
    28. Re:8.8.8.8 by andydread · · Score: 1

      meh ... sudo apt-get install bind9

    29. Re:8.8.8.8 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No they don't. See their FAQ [google.com].

      Yes they do say state that. This is not a debatable issue.

      That FAQ puts no legal limits on anything Google does. Why did you link to it?

      See their TOS. Specifically this part:

      "you give Google (and those we work with) a worldwide license to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works (such as those resulting from translations, adaptations or other changes we make so that your content works better with our Services), communicate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute such content. The rights you grant in this license are for the limited purpose of operating, promoting, and improving our Services, and to develop new ones."

      Notice the tricky wording of things like "Google (and those we work with)" and "limited purpose of operating ... our Services". Can you think of a single thing they could do with your information that would not fall under those terms? I am a lawyer and I can not.

    30. Re:8.8.8.8 by GuidoW · · Score: 1

      Anyone know how to make djbdns DNSSEC aware? (Yes, I know that djb himself is opposed to DNSSEC and is trying to push DNSCURVE instead...)

      --
      If it's so secret, then how come I've never heard of it?
    31. Re:8.8.8.8 by philip.paradis · · Score: 1

      You must have missed the fact that I was addressing potential concerns stemming from Google logging DNS queries and using them for (insert something horrible here). In fact, I said "Any DNS provider you use can do the same thing." This is a true statement. Note that I never said there weren't alternate DNS resolver services in operation; of course there are dozens, and they all theoretically suffer from the same potential issues as Google's service.

      Specifically, one of the services you listed (OpenDNS) has taken a massive amount of flack in the not-too-distant past for intercepting NXDOMAIN responses and serving up ad pages instead of actually conveying the appropriate status. Varios ISPs have done precisely the same thing with their resolvers as well. Perhaps it will clarify things a bit to mention that I actually use 8.8.8.8 as my default resolver in many places, although I do run my own resolvers (unbound) in many other places as well. In any event, what was your point again?

      --
      Write failed: Broken pipe
    32. Re:8.8.8.8 by mcavic · · Score: 1

      I'm not worried, just pointing out that there's no absolute security. VPN connections are very handy for several reasons if you have the means.

    33. Re:8.8.8.8 by marcosdumay · · Score: 1

      They can still discover what pages you are visiting, that was the original complaint. SSL won't protect you against that.

    34. Re:8.8.8.8 by marcosdumay · · Score: 1

      Yep, that also takes setting the DHCP server to relay the correct DNS server (the machine you just installed bind).

    35. Re:8.8.8.8 by marcosdumay · · Score: 1

      I relay the queries that my local server doesn't know to OpenDNS.

      I really don't know if they are good, maybe they're there, reading the name of every new page I visit. I never bothered to verify.

      My ISP's DNS is pure garbage. Lookup failures don't fail, it fails to find pages that exist (but the lookup doesn't fail, because of the first part), it is slow and the uptime isn't that good, thus, I don't use it. Anyway, nothing can beat a local server in speed and, if you are using your desktop as server, uptime.

    36. Re:8.8.8.8 by JWSmythe · · Score: 2

      Are you sure it's Google, and not your local provider? Botched routing tables can do that. What is your other DNS server? Is it a temporary issue? Is it only with a1.phobos.apple.com? Anycast should get a response back from the fastest server to respond.

          I'll guess that you're in Australia, since I noticed the .au router you crossed. It doesn't look like Google has a datacenter there yet. I wouldn't be surprised if they have a presence in locations that are not official "Google Datacenters" though.

      http://www.google.com/about/datacenters/locations/index.html

          The list could very likely be incomplete also. I know they had a presence in 111 8th Ave, New York, NY, and bought the whole building a couple years ago. That's not on the list at all. With the carriers that had a presence there, I'd seriously doubt they'd gut it and make it just office space.

          It's working perfectly for me, and everyone that I've had switch over to it because their residential provider DNS is too slow.


      # nslookup a1.phobos.apple.com 8.8.8.8
      Server: 8.8.8.8
      Address: 8.8.8.8#53

      Non-authoritative answer:
      a1.phobos.apple.com canonical name = a1.phobos.apple.com.edgesuite.net.
      a1.phobos.apple.com.edgesuite.net canonical name = a1.da1.akamai.net.
      Name: a1.da1.akamai.net
      Address: 208.44.23.112
      Name: a1.da1.akamai.net
      Address: 208.44.23.98


      # traceroute 208.44.23.112
      traceroute to 208.44.23.112 (208.44.23.112), 30 hops max, 60 byte packets
      [SNIP]
        4 0.xe-7-3-0.BR3.ATL4.ALTER.NET (152.63.5.129) 17.254 ms 17.248 ms 17.286 ms
        5 204.255.168.222 (204.255.168.222) 16.425 ms 16.438 ms 16.407 ms
        6 atx-edge-03.inet.qwest.net (205.171.21.50) 17.285 ms 17.430 ms 17.311 ms
        7 208-44-23-112.dia.static.qwest.net (208.44.23.112) 20.176 ms 20.341 ms 20.287 ms


      # traceroute 208.44.23.98
      traceroute to 208.44.23.98 (208.44.23.98), 30 hops max, 60 byte packets
      [SNIP]
        4 0.xe-7-3-0.BR3.ATL4.ALTER.NET (152.63.5.129) 17.287 ms 17.359 ms 17.344 ms
        5 204.255.168.222 (204.255.168.222) 16.476 ms 16.440 ms 16.429 ms
        6 atx-edge-03.inet.qwest.net (205.171.21.50) 51.325 ms 48.945 ms 17.179 ms
        7 208-44-23-98.dia.static.qwest.net (208.44.23.98) 17.560 ms 17.553 ms 17.620 ms


      # traceroute a1.phobos.apple.com
      traceroute to a1.phobos.apple.com (23.67.53.75), 30 hops max, 60 byte packets
      [SNIP]
        4 0.xe-3-0-2.XL3.MIA4.ALTER.NET (152.63.4.9) 10.664 ms 10.733 ms 10.718 ms
        5 0.xe-11-0-0.XL1.MIA19.ALTER.NET (152.63.85.74) 11.683 ms 11.671 ms 11.654 ms
        6 0.xe-10-1-0.GW1.MIA19.ALTER.NET (152.63.81.10) 9.971 ms 10.009 ms 10.081 ms
        7 akamai.customer.alter.net (63.65.188.50) 11.995 ms 11.985 ms 12.045 ms
        8 a23-67-53-75.deploy.akamaitechnologies.com (23.67.53.75) 10.153 ms 10.355 ms 10.355 ms

      Google DNS resolved to Atlanta, which I believe is the closest Google datacenter, roughly 450 miles away and about 17.5ms.

      Locally (my own DNS server on the same machine I tested from), resolved to Miami, which isn't the closest Akamai site, but may be the closest Apple mirror. That's roughly 280 miles and 10.3ms.

      Using your own resolver is always an excellent choice, and will provide the best results for your location. For those who don't even know how to log into their router, much less run their own DNS server, Google's public DNS is fine.

      --
      Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
    37. Re:8.8.8.8 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They can infer what domains you're accessing by sniffing the DNS traffic. They can see what IP addresses you connect to. But the SSL in the HTTPS connection prevents them seeing what communication transpires between you and the remote IP, and therefore prevents them seeing which pages you request and which ones are served in response.

    38. Re:8.8.8.8 by bradkittenbrink · · Score: 1

      You realize you've just described the basic architecture of TOR, right?

    39. Re:8.8.8.8 by TheLink · · Score: 1

      Huh? I think you don't get it. Google's DNS servers are on 8.8.8.8 (and 8.8.4.4).

      What the OP is saying is 8.8.8.8 will generally be close to you. So if you use 8.8.8.8 you will get DNS responses fast (if they are cached already).

      So for your post to be relevant you should be doing a tracert (or traceroute if on Linux) to 8.8.8.8 not 203.106.85.64.

      --
    40. Re:8.8.8.8 by TheLink · · Score: 1

      Oh I think I didn't get your post. Now I get it... Doh.

      Maybe Google doesn't like Apple for some reason ;).

      --
    41. Re:8.8.8.8 by hairyfeet · · Score: 1

      Actually the GP above you was talking about how Google knows too much about you which if you are not using Google for everything? They can't know too much about you. For anyone to build a full profile of me that would have to have Google's Gmail AND Yahoo Mail AND Bing Search AND Comodo DNS. the odds that ALL of these companies are gonna share data? non existent.

      --
      ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
    42. Re:8.8.8.8 by philip.paradis · · Score: 1

      You don't appear to understand how data mining and behavioral modeling on a massive scale actually work. I'm sorry to have to be the one to inform you of this, but (1) you're leaking data like a sieve every day, regardless of what you think you are or aren't signed into, and (2) you are not the unique, delicate flower you might perceive yourself to be. If anything, a month's worth of your DNS queries is more than adequate to build a surprisingly accurate model of "you." Have fun with that thought, and think a little more about every point of contact you have every day in terms of communications. If you really need me to break if down further for you, let me know, and I'll be happy to get in touch with you off this thread.

      --
      Write failed: Broken pipe
    43. Re:8.8.8.8 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Which names you are resolving and hence the server, not pages, you're visiting.

    44. Re:8.8.8.8 by jandrese · · Score: 1

      HTTPs won't do anything about them sniffing your DNS traffic.

      --

      I read the internet for the articles.
    45. Re:8.8.8.8 by Spikeles · · Score: 2

      You're right, I'm in Australia. Google does have a presence here and I get a ping of about 64ms to 8.8.8.8.
      8 google-public-dns-a.google.com (8.8.8.8) 82.579 ms 64.420 ms 65.664 ms
      I've tried the 8.8.8.8 resolver a couple of times, and in all cases iTunes will give slow downloads, simply due to not optimal resolution of the CDN host. Switch it to another DNS resolver, and everything is fine again. Querying the DNS of our ISP (Internode):

      #nslookup a1.phobos.apple.com 192.231.203.132
      Server: 192.231.203.132
      Address: 192.231.203.132#53

      Non-authoritative answer:
      a1.phobos.apple.com canonical name = a1.phobos.apple.com.edgesuite.net. a1.phobos.apple.com.edgesuite.net canonical name = a1.da1.akamai.net.
      Name: a1.da1.akamai.net
      Address: 203.206.129.11
      Name: a1.da1.akamai.net
      Address: 203.206.129.16

      #traceroute 203.206.129.16
      [snip]
      8 203-206-129-16.deploy.akamaitechnologies.net (203.206.129.16) 81.438 ms 67.101 ms 67.139 ms


      This kind of issue isn't exactly Unknown.

      In addition, in Australia we have quotas for most of our internet plans. If you were on an ISP such as iiNet, then you could end up using up your quota since iiNet provides "unmetered" downloads from iTunes, on the condition that it comes from their mirror. iiNet mirrors Apple servers, and uses their DNS to redirect to those own mirrors. If you were to use 8.8.8.8 for someone on iiNet, you'd end up with them being charged extra since it probably wouldn't resolve to their mirror.

      --
      I don't need to test my programs.. I have an error correcting modem.
    46. Re:8.8.8.8 by JWSmythe · · Score: 1

          Well, in your case it is best to stay with the ISP DNS. Then again, it avoids the problem of the story entirely. If you weren't using the provider DNS, and it redirected you to the other DNS servers, you'd be hit with some pretty serious fees.

          I don't know for sure, but I suspect that iTunes probably uses Akamai also. Well, unless that is what a1.phobos.apple.com is. :) If they're a large provider, Akamai would have cut a deal with them. Their whole business model is to put stuff on the network, or at least as close as possible to the end users. In the case of your provider, it has an extreme financial advantage. Akamai probably pays to have it there, *and* they don't have to pay for the uplink bandwidth you'd be using for those requests.

          Akamai doesn't mind in the least. They're getting paid by the companies who want their stuff mirrored.

          What could be the case in this situation is that the hosts that you're resolving to with your ISP's DNS servers only resolve to those hosts if you're using them. It may not be part of their global CDN, so when it sees a request from a Google DNS server, it passes off to the public CDN servers.

          If bandwidth is expensive in general in Australia (I don't know. I've never lived there nor contracted for services there), Japan may be the better location for them anyways.

          I know a while back when the company I was at did global work, bandwidth in Europe cost us an awful lot more than it did in the US. Due to some pretty pathetic routing at the time most clients complained about how slow our European servers were. What it ended up being is that they were routed from their location, to New York, and back to the European servers. We decided to save one leg of the trip, and call a group of servers in New York our "European" servers. No one ever noticed where they really were, or at least never said anything about it. They did thank us for "improving" our European presence. :) It was cheaper for us, so we were good with it.

          There was still some notable difference between the East and West coast of the US, so we still maintained 3 locations around the US and made everyone happy.

      --
      Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
    47. Re:8.8.8.8 by icebraining · · Score: 1

      OpenDNS? Ugh, they hijack NXDOMAINs.

    48. Re:8.8.8.8 by MichaelSmith · · Score: 1

      Yeah but do the mums and dads know about it? We already know that the /. crowd will find a way to fix the problem.

    49. Re:8.8.8.8 by metalgamer84 · · Score: 1

      Yeah, your point? Instead of hitting a page that says "bad domain" you hit one that says "OpenDNS suggestions". Woopty freaking doo, means the same to me essentially. I have been using OpenDNS for many years and never once been redirected the their ad/suggestion pages.

    50. Re:8.8.8.8 by icebraining · · Score: 1

      Web browsers aren't the only thing that does DNS requests, you know.

    51. Re:8.8.8.8 by hairyfeet · · Score: 1

      First of all with Treewalk DNS running in a corner box i only go to each site ONCE and then from then on its cached so having my DNS records from Comodo wouldn't show much of nothing. BTW I do this not for privacy reason but for speed, taking out DNS hops really gives surfing a major kick in the ass.

      Second what EXACTLY do you think I'm "leaking"? I have HTTP Referrer headers blocked,all third party content is blocked, ads are blocked and the ONLY cookies are those on a whitelist which is VERY small, less than 5 sites and since the browser is sandboxed in a much lower permission level trying to access those cookies by anyone not on the whitelist would raise a flag. I've already been to those sites that try to tell what you have or don't have based on cookies and referrer and all they can tell me is I'm on SOMETHING based on Chromium and that have have the Flash plugin, that's it.

      So I don't see what data you think anybody is gonna get. All Google could tell you is that I watch the history channel on youtube and get a bunch of spam (since that's my spamdump), all Yahoo would be able to tell you is I have a bunch of REALLY clueless relatives and customers, all Bing could tell you is I like wallpapers of hot babes like Scarlet Johannson (like who doesn't?) and all Comodo could tell you is which sites i have been to one time in the past 30 days. Again if you were say the NSA, to where you could get the data from ALL of these services? then sure, but if you are the NSA you could just put a tap on the ISP and save yourself the trouble. the rest only have a small piece of the big picture, like the old parable of the blind men and the elephant.

      --
      ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
    52. Re:8.8.8.8 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Perhaps you should investigate using a big boy resolver, and not the crippled shit that djb writes?

      i have never seen another programmer auto-fellate themselves as enthusiastically as djb does, which is especially hilarious considering that his software is such utter crap.

    53. Re:8.8.8.8 by windcask · · Score: 1

      I was thinking this myself after I posted the comment, but hey; I'll take my +5 Informative, thank you very much.

      If the router was infected and the client machine was set to 8.8.8.8, it would pass the Botnet DNS, though.

    54. Re:8.8.8.8 by MaraDNS · · Score: 1
      djbdns has not been updated since 2001 and even the unofficial forks have not addressed important issues like the security problem CVE-2012-1191.

      If you want DNSSEC and don't want BIND, your only other open-source option is Unbound; MaraDNS doesn't have DNSSEC either, and PowerDNS only has it for the authoritative code.

      --
      MaraDNS is an open-source DNS server.
  2. Why not warn them? by l_bratch · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Why don't they just start redirecting web users to a warning page explaining the situation to them at some point before the cut off date?

    1. Re:Why not warn them? by jeffmeden · · Score: 3, Informative

      Because they would probably do what they do any other time something complicated appears on the screen: click OK and get back to searching for pr0n.

    2. Re:Why not warn them? by bws111 · · Score: 1

      I think that is an awful idea. The last thing you want to do is train people that it is OK, under any circumstances, to do what an unexpected or unsolicited web page says. That is, after all, exactly how scareware winds up getting installed.

      The best thing to do is let them fail, and gear up the help desks to be ready with the onslaught of calls.

    3. Re:Why not warn them? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They couldn't if their DNS doesn't return anything but the warning page.

    4. Re:Why not warn them? by Verunks · · Score: 1

      opendns is doing that but I think it's limited to websites hosted on cloudflare that enabled this warning so probably not many

    5. Re:Why not warn them? by n5vb · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Because they would probably do what they do any other time something complicated appears on the screen: click OK and get back to searching for pr0n.

      They couldn't if their DNS doesn't return anything but the warning page.

      You would be amazed how many times some people would click the OK button before giving up and either telling everyone the Internet isn't working, or calling and screaming at their OS platform support until redirected to their ISP, and then calling their browser support instead and screaming at them. It's incredible the lengths to which some people will go to avoid reading what's on their effing screen..

    6. Re:Why not warn them? by ArhcAngel · · Score: 1

      THIS!

      "Please...sir, if you stop yelling at me long enough I can explain to you why yelling at the computer guy will not get your internet fixed..."

      --
      "A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it." - K
    7. Re:Why not warn them? by fluffy99 · · Score: 1

      Because http isn't the only thing that uses DNS? We got pissed when a certain DNS authority redirected bad lookups to their own search engine for the same reason. The ISPs could take note of which customers are hitting the temporary servers and let them know. Some ISPs are quietly redirecting the lookups to their own server.

    8. Re:Why not warn them? by l_bratch · · Score: 1

      Sure, it's bad if the ISP does it on their own DNS servers, but these are some criminal's servers that have been seized. Are those things really equivalent?

      Of course HTTP isn't the only DNS user, but you can't pretend that this won't inform the overwhelming majority of users. They obviously use HTTP a lot.

      Every single ISP doing traffic inspection or redirection seems like a lot more work than just doing this at the source.

      I'm not advocating false DNS results from ISP's servers or treating other protocols as lesser than HTTP, I'm just suggesting a way to fix this for the majority of affected users.

    9. Re:Why not warn them? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      It's incredible the lengths to which some people will go to avoid reading what's on their effing screen..

      Almost always because it's not a message that is meaningful to them. When programmers and administrators start writing messages that actually target the audience, rather than some mythical being, then you might have a point. Many programmers and administrators love to blame everybody but themselves for their failings.

      In this case the FBI should put up something like "Your connection to the internet has failed - call 180012345678" in 72 point type. Simple. Talking about "DNS" is the height of stupidity (of the programmer, not the audience) because the audience doesn't even remotely know what a domain system system is, let alone what DNS hijacking is..

      And no, it is not reasonable for the customer to spend hours learning what these special purpose terms are. Get over it.

  3. Captain Obvious by stretch0611 · · Score: 1, Interesting

    The FBI has control of the DNS servers. Why can't they just resolve every address to point to a webserver instructing people how to fix their DNS settings?

    --
    Looking for a job?
    Want your resume written professionally?
    DON'T USE TUNAREZ!!!
    1. Re:Captain Obvious by jeffmeden · · Score: 2

      Surely there are options on the table. However, the fact that Vixie concluded that "these will be very difficult to re-program" when a group of Estonian hackers managed to do it through a completely illegitimate virus, completely remotely, is troubling. Something about the process must have been irreversible otherwise a simple "undo" page distributed through DNS forwarding could have taken care of it as soon as the servers were under FBI control.

      What is more interesting is that they dont make any stabs at guessing how many of the victims are on what providers (just referring to them as "DSL".) Why not name names? You have the IPs of the vics. If AT&T saw 150,000 customers about to go dark, and so did Verizon and so did CenturyLink, i suspect the problem would be confronted more directly than a single powerpoint at some conference in *Australia*...

    2. Re:Captain Obvious by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Why not name names? You have the IPs of the vics.

      "AAAAAARRRRRG Okay, you know what, nerds? Fuck you. That's it, we give up on keeping you assholes happy. First you spend the greater part of fifteen or so years bitching about how IP addresses don't identify people when it's a convenient argument for piracy, NOW you're bitching at US for not using IP addresses to identify people! So we've had it. Fuck you and your goddamned confusing subculture. You're a minority within a whiny, unpleaseable minority, you systematically find whatever loophole and technicality you can to refuse to give us any money or respect to begin with, and we're cutting off all your internet traffic except to our premium cable TV streaming websites." -- The government and major ISPs

    3. Re:Captain Obvious by Jeng · · Score: 1

      I think he was advocating letting the ISP's know, not the customers directly.

      --
      Don't know something? Look it up. Still don't know? Then ask.
    4. Re:Captain Obvious by bws111 · · Score: 1

      Because then you are teaching people that under some circumstances it is OK to follow instructions from an unexpected/unsolicited source. Imaging the flood of scareware that would arrive after that: THIS IS THE FBI! CHANGE YOUR DNS SETTINGS IMMEDIATELY!

    5. Re:Captain Obvious by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      He's talking about send people to a page that tells them they are infected, not remotely fix their crap. After a period of time to make sure they got the message, who cares if they go dark since they didn't fix their pc despite the message. Many people probably don't even know they are infected.

    6. Re:Captain Obvious by 1u3hr · · Score: 2

      Surely there are options on the table. However, the fact that Vixie concluded that "these will be very difficult to re-program" when a group of Estonian hackers managed to do it through a completely illegitimate virus, completely remotely, is troubling. Something about the process must have been irreversible otherwise a simple "undo" page distributed through DNS forwarding could have taken care of it as soon as the servers were under FBI control.

      I suspect the "difficulty" is more legal than technical. The Estonians don't care if they brick an occasional device, and they don't try to get the users' legal consent. And people and governments in other countries might not be happy to trust the FBI to reprogram their router/modem.

    7. Re:Captain Obvious by nomis_uk · · Score: 1

      The point is an IP address can identify the account owner of the connection - it doesn't identify which member of the family was using the net connection, or which strange walking past their house jumped on their unsecured wifi, or the exact customer using. So IP address great for identifying the person who manages the net connection - not great for identifying who was actually using the connection for a specific request.

  4. ISP should warn them by crow · · Score: 2

    Assuming that these were modems provided by their ISP, then the ISP has responsibility here. They can easily watch for packets going to the fake DNS servers, and then warn the customers by email, letter, and even phone. They should have done this back when the issue first arose, with steps to correct the problem included in a letter with the monthly bill.

    1. Re:ISP should warn them by dmacleod808 · · Score: 5, Funny

      I dunno, whenever I recieve a letter from my ISP, I immediately destroy my hard drives and torch my house.

      --
      There Can Be Only One...
    2. Re:ISP should warn them by Zocalo · · Score: 3, Interesting
      That horse has long since bolted. The ISPs were notified, and it's also possible for them to check their IP space for infected hosts at the DNS Changer Working Group's website. The sad fact is that the ISPs in question have done the math and come to the conclusion that they can either:
      1. Notify their infected customers, at a cost of $x per customer, probably only to have most of their users either ignore the warning or contact the ISP's support line, potentially at additional cost to the ISP (unless they have a premium rate support service).
      2. Ignore the problem until the FBI's DNS servers are switched off, at which point, hopefully, many of the users will figure out the solution at no cost to the ISP reducing the burden on the ISP's support desk and costs. Hey, everyone has to keeps costs down, right?

      Bonus douchebag points for any ISPs that have a large number of infected customers and have, purely coincidentally of course, moved support calls to a premium rate number in the last few months.

      --
      UNIX? They're not even circumcised! Savages!
    3. Re:ISP should warn them by toygeek · · Score: 2

      Disclaimer: I work for a 3rd party contractor to Comcast. I don't work directly for them and I don't condone everything they do so lets leave that out of the discussion.

      Comcast does exactly this. When they see traffic going to the known hijacked IP's, the customer gets emails, popups, and generally annoyed to hell until they do something about it. Its not always hijacked DNS. Sometimes its one infected device that is not owned by the customer, and its a neighbor who is stealing their wifi. Solution:Secure their wifi. Sometimes they cleaned the infections already, but their router is still hijacked.

      AFAIK AT&T does the same thing, or something similar.

      As much flack as ISP's get these days, there are some things they actually do right. And, there are some things that they fail so very, very horribly in. In this one, I think they've got it right.

    4. Re:ISP should warn them by Life2Death · · Score: 0

      Or even better, the ISP could set up a fake route to their own DNS server so no one notices anything infected or not.

  5. The easy fix by Megane · · Score: 2

    Presumably they know what IP was being checked for DNS. All an ISP has to do is spoof that IP internally with a manual route to their own DNS server. That should save a few truck rolls.

    --
    #naabhaprzrag, #sverubfr-000, #agi-fcbafberq, negvpyr[pynff*=' negvpyr-ary-'] { qvfcynl: abar !vzcbegnag; }
    1. Re:The easy fix by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That would be too smart though.

  6. Let companies bid for them and put ads on error... by stevenh2 · · Score: 2

    I'm sure some companies will want to buy those servers so they can put ads on those error pages that pop when you enter a nonexistent domain.

  7. Why bother warning them? by plover · · Score: 1

    Why warn them at all? If they can't be bothered to keep their equipment in good working condition, which means free of malware, the rest of the internet doesn't need them polluting the waters.

    We don't let people drive cars on public roads that risk the safety of the other drivers. Why should we put up with an infected virus-spewing computer?

    --
    John
    1. Re:Why bother warning them? by l_bratch · · Score: 1

      I see your argument, but they could do it purely to reduce the burden for all these clueless user's tech support people. Whether you like it or not, they are going to want their "internet" fixed...

    2. Re:Why bother warning them? by idontgno · · Score: 2

      (A) Not every jurisdiction enforces very much in the way of vehicle safety and emissions inspection laws, so your "We don't" is unsupportably broad. I could certainly agree with a more factually accurate phrase like "We shouldn't", but that's not very good reinforcement for your absolutist position. Sorry.

      (B) Speaking of inspections, are you advocating for public safety inspections of online computing assets? It sure sounds like it. And if so, by whom and using what criteria, and very specifically how do you keep those criteria from devolving into some kind of corporatist rights grab a la pernicious DRM?

      And (C), if you're not advocating public net-worthiness inspections of computers, your analogy breaks down, since the virus-infected computers in question have already had their road-safety incident. So, your phrase, more accurately stated, is "We don't let people drive cars on public roads that have already risked the safety of other drivers", in which case the response is "of course not, they're already wrecked."

      --
      Welcome to the Panopticon. Used to be a prison, now it's your home.
    3. Re:Why bother warning them? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's not a burden. It's how I pay the bills.

    4. Re:Why bother warning them? by Jeng · · Score: 1

      If it was at all hard to warn them I would see your point, but warning them is so trivial that there is no reason not to do it.

      Even with the warning though it ain't going to change anything. It will probably just freak them out.

      --
      Don't know something? Look it up. Still don't know? Then ask.
    5. Re:Why bother warning them? by lgw · · Score: 1

      You must seriously not have anyone who turns to you for tech support who has the ability to make you miserable if she, err, they want to.

      Not to mention, this isn't about infected computers, but infected DSL modems, and how sure are you about yours, again? Or about whatever sits between the no-doubt-godlike-perfection of your PC and the DNS server? I seriosly don't want to have to care about policing parts like that.

      --
      Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
    6. Re:Why bother warning them? by n5vb · · Score: 4, Informative

      There are some people who will call tech support whether they get a warning or not. Usually the wrong support, and usually to unload a half hour of angry rants that do absolutely nothing to fix the problem. If there's any reading involved beyond about the 2nd-3rd grade level, they'll ignore warning dialogs and just call and complain. This is a constant in the tech support universe.

      (And I still have to laugh when people tell me their internet isn't working but they can send and receive email..)

    7. Re:Why bother warning them? by n5vb · · Score: 4, Funny

      I'm still in favor of the big red button with a clearly worded warning on it that says it will render the computer unusable and/or void the warranty if pressed. The people who read instructions and warnings and in general have some clue what they're doing will leave it alone and get years of service out of the computer; the ones who just poke and click at things totally at random when things don't do what they expect get what they deserve...

    8. Re:Why bother warning them? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      We don't let people drive cars on public roads that risk the safety of the other drivers.

      Yes we, do and ritely so. Nothing in the constitutian says that car's must be roadorthy or driver's sober. In a true democracy, there will be free road's and nani state road's and people will be able to chose which one's to drive on.

      --
      roman_mir posting as AC forgot passwaor

    9. Re:Why bother warning them? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      i have spent close to 7 years working help desks, and i couldnt have said it better myself

    10. Re:Why bother warning them? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why warn them at all? If they can't be bothered to keep their equipment in good working condition, which means free of malware, the rest of the internet doesn't need them polluting the waters.

      We don't let people drive cars on public roads that risk the safety of the other drivers. Why should we put up with an infected virus-spewing computer?

      Considering this is slashdot, I'm sure your stance is that you should be able to use your internet connection however you want. It should be a dumb pipe. You should have unlimited access to spew out whatever you want because it's YOUR connection. If, for some reason, something responds badly to what you're spewing out, then it's not your problem. They should have configured their firewall better.

      Yet, you wrote what is quoted.

      It's popular on slashdot to exclaim that virus-infected computers should be cutoff from the internet by their ISP. But the gods be damned if you get throttled because of too many peer-to-queer downloads. I know you're not saying that in your post, but it reeks of that sentiment. And I've seen that sentiment a lot on this site.

    11. Re:Why bother warning them? by Lumpy · · Score: 1

      "We don't let people drive cars on public roads that risk the safety of the other drivers."

      you must not drive much. Here in Michigan out roads are full of complete morons that cant drive without being a risk to others.

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
    12. Re:Why bother warning them? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      But what does my not-working internet have to do with email?

    13. Re:Why bother warning them? by idontgno · · Score: 1

      C'mon, you know it's inevitable.

      How can he possibly resist the maddening urge to eradicate [his computer] at the mere push of a single button? The beautiful, shiny button? The jolly, candy-like button? Will he hold out, folks? Can he hold out?

      --
      Welcome to the Panopticon. Used to be a prison, now it's your home.
    14. Re:Why bother warning them? by idontgno · · Score: 1

      But if the warning comes with a nice download link to fix the problem, that they can just click and make it all go away...

      No, wait. Prior art. The bad guys have already beat us to it.

      I guess the only responsible thing we can do is freak them out and then disconnect 'em and put 'em out of our misery.

      --
      Welcome to the Panopticon. Used to be a prison, now it's your home.
    15. Re:Why bother warning them? by eyenot · · Score: 1

      I highly agree. It gives the whole sandbox thing a shiny glow.

      --
      "Stratigraphically the origin of agriculture and thermonuclear destruction will appear essentially simultaneous" -- Lee
    16. Re:Why bother warning them? by marcosdumay · · Score: 1

      As a paralel of the famous punching in the face quote:

      You right to spew things out stops just before that spew reaches a computer that doesn't want it.

      Is that a hard concept to understand? Because when it doesn't involve computers, nearly everybody understands it de pronto. People at /. shouldn't have this kind of problem.

      If, for some reason, something responds badly to what you're spewing out, then it's not your problem. They should have configured their firewall better.

      Depends, was it a honest usage of some service the other computer was anouncing? If so, yes, the other computer should be better configured. Was is some malicious data? If so, the fault is at the part that is sending it.

    17. Re:Why bother warning them? by plover · · Score: 1

      You're making a lot of stuff up to fill in gaps in what I didn't bother typing.

      I'm simply saying that if they can't be arsed to fix their crappy virus laden computers today, why should I care if taking down a malware-stand-in DNS server leaves them hanging without a working name server tomorrow? It's. Not. My. Problem.

      What my bad car analogy was referring to is that cops don't perform car inspections today, but they will pull you over and tag you if your bumper is dragging behind you on the freeway, or if you're throwing caltrops out the windows, or otherwise threatening the safety of others on the road. This is obviously an imperfect analogy, one that you carried way too far in your reach for points to criticize. Perhaps a slightly better analogy might be that the internet is like rural roads that have signs saying "minimum maintenance road - travel at your own risk". If you bought cheap gas that was watered down and your car stalls in the woods, if I'm passing by it's not my job to drag your car back to town. Call for your own damn tow truck.

      I'm certainly not saying we need to inspect computers. No internet cops need to be created to tag these people. All I'm saying is that I'm not going to shed a tear if they're disconnected through their own lack of action or knowledge.

      Of course, it may become my brother-in-law's problem, which I'm sure my wife would still make into my problem somehow,

      --
      John
  8. Re:HAHA !! DSL SUXORS !! by Jeng · · Score: 1

    I have had nothing but good service from TWC here in Austin, I understand that in some other markets though that they do indeed suck.

    My experience with DSL though has been nothing but shitty. YMMV.

    --
    Don't know something? Look it up. Still don't know? Then ask.
  9. When is modem not a modem? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    When it's mostly a router, with a modem grafted on.

  10. you've won a brand new car [analogy] by OrangeTide · · Score: 3, Funny

    "We don't let people drive cars on public roads that risk the safety of the other drivers."

    Is that really true? I'm having difficulty believing that.

    I think a better car analogy is:

    "We imprison people for drunk driving, because it is a felony, unless they are Senators. Why not imprison people who spew viruses and malware too? (unless it's the NSA or RIAA)"

    --
    “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
    1. Re:you've won a brand new car [analogy] by Chris+Mattern · · Score: 1

      "We don't let people drive cars on public roads that risk the safety of the other drivers."

      Is that really true? I'm having difficulty believing that.

      Why is it hard to believe? In the US, at least, it's completely true; you can be ticketed for driving an unsafe car. Most states also have a regular safety inspection requirement. Here in Virginia, a car must get a safety inspection yearly and a car that does not have a valid inspection sticker (which displays the expiration date in big bold numbers) is not legal to drive on public roads.

  11. Scripted changes by dissy · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I'm not sure I understand the problem...

    Did this malware hit the DSL modem web-config page from the Internet to change it's DNS settings?
    Or is this Windows malware that, once infecting a PC on the LAN, used that PC to hit the web-config page?

    One would assume the web-server in the DSL modem doesn't answer on the public interface or IP, but clearly they fucked up the security to start with so that's not an assumption I want to make.

    If this malware hit it from the Internet, then it would be trivial for the ISP to do the same exact thing to put the settings back.
    The ISP even has legit and legal access to their customer premise equipment, so it wouldn't be illegal or labeled as "hacking" in that case.

    Even if the modem web-config only answers to the LAN IP, and it was an infected Windows box that automatically reconfigured the router... wouldn't there be a password of some sort?

    And why doesn't the ISPs maintain a "maintenance" subnet where they CAN access the DSL modem?

    All the ISP needs to do is add a route to their core routers for the old DNS server IPs that will be going down soon, and redirect those packets to their internal DNS servers.

    Failing That, the ISP can log any customers that access the hijacked DNS IPs, build up a list, and mail out a letter to them postal style. If they don't read their ISPs snail-mail, then they deserve whatever outage they get.
    Believe me, once service goes down, they WILL be calling the ISP. I can understand wanting to lessen the massive amounts of calls they are expecting on the 9th, but in order to lessen that flood they will need to do Something. Anything. Anything except the nothing they seem to be doing.

    Just setup a web site with all the info they need, which can be accessed with an IP alone. Give that to them on the phone. Include both the address and IP in the snail mail letter.
    Hell, at that point the ISP can include a link that when clicked will connect to the internal IP of the router and submit new DNS settings in the GET request. A small amount of javascript will handle if a POST is needed.
    There is clearly no password on the web interface to deal with, or they wouldn't have this problem from the malware in the first place, so this should be trivial to fix semi-automated, and likely totally automated with a bit more work.

    This sounds more like laziness and ineptness rather than any technical reason for fixing the problem.

    1. Re:Scripted changes by uncqual · · Score: 1

      If this malware hit it from the Internet, then it would be trivial for the ISP to do the same exact thing to put the settings back.

      I don't know much about DNSChanger, but in general I don't think this is necessarily true. If one was going to infect DSL modems with something like DNSChanger, it would be sensible to also attempt to have DNSChanger cut off the ability to make further changes (at least by anyone but the authors/distributors of DNSChanger - perhaps requiring a password known only to these parties).

      --
      Why is there an "insightful" mod and why isn't it "-1"? If I wanted insight, I wouldn't be reading /.
    2. Re:Scripted changes by DeadboltX · · Score: 3, Informative

      From FBI PDF http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2011/november/malware_110911/DNS-changer-malware.pdf

      What Does DNSChanger Do to My Computer?
      DNSChanger malware causes a computer to use rogue DNS servers in one of two ways. First, it changes the computer’s DNS server settings to replace the ISP’s good DNS servers with rogue DNS servers operated by the criminal. Second, it attempts to access devices on the victim’s small office/home office (SOHO) network that run a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) server (eg. a router or home gateway). The malware attempts to access these devices using common default usernames and passwords and, if successful, changes the DNS servers these devices use from the ISP’s good DNS servers to rogue DNS servers operated by the criminals. This is a change that may impact all computers on the SOHO network, even if those computers are not infected with the malware.

    3. Re:Scripted changes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What web server, my 2001 westell (an old beige model never exposed to sunlight yet faded anyway) doesn't have a web page or a router built-in, I supply my own router (p3 running ipcop) and use custom dns (those 4.2,2,x ones from VZ were slow and started mucking around with some things)

      My modem is just a layer-2 ppp to 100Mb ethernet converter (up to 12Mb for the DSL phone line end but ISP only goes to 6 in my area) So i guess there is nothing to worry about.

      I wouldn't trust any modem that came from my ISP with a router and would rip it out and use my own our request one without it.

    4. Re:Scripted changes by toygeek · · Score: 1

      I'm not sure I understand the problem...

      Did this malware hit the DSL modem web-config page from the Internet to change it's DNS settings?

      No. Most routers do not allow the admin page to be accessed via the wan side, only the lan side.

      Or is this Windows malware that, once infecting a PC on the LAN, used that PC to hit the web-config page?

      Or Mac malware. But in general, yes. Most residential routers have pretty weak default passwords are a cinch to get into.

      One would assume the web-server in the DSL modem doesn't answer on the public interface or IP, but clearly they fucked up the security to start with so that's not an assumption I want to make.

      If this malware hit it from the Internet, then it would be trivial for the ISP to do the same exact thing to put the settings back.

      You're right, that was a dumb assumption. Even over the back-end control channels of whatever sort that ARE used, nothing having to do with the overall configuration can be changed. Most ISP's use such communication to check modem status etc, but not to change DNS info or passwords. That would be security suicide and they aren't quite that dumb.

      The ISP even has legit and legal access to their customer premise equipment, so it wouldn't be illegal or labeled as "hacking" in that case.

      Even if the modem web-config only answers to the LAN IP, and it was an infected Windows box that automatically reconfigured the router... wouldn't there be a password of some sort?

      And why doesn't the ISPs maintain a "maintenance" subnet where they CAN access the DSL modem?

      All the ISP needs to do is add a route to their core routers for the old DNS server IPs that will be going down soon, and redirect those packets to their internal DNS servers.

      Failing That, the ISP can log any customers that access the hijacked DNS IPs, build up a list, and mail out a letter to them postal style. If they don't read their ISPs snail-mail, then they deserve whatever outage they get.

      See my reply above regarding most of what you said. And see my post above yet about how most providers do send out email, snail mail, popups etc over hijacked DNS.

      Believe me, once service goes down, they WILL be calling the ISP. I can understand wanting to lessen the massive amounts of calls they are expecting on the 9th, but in order to lessen that flood they will need to do Something. Anything. Anything except the nothing they seem to be doing.

      Just setup a web site with all the info they need, which can be accessed with an IP alone. Give that to them on the phone. Include both the address and IP in the snail mail letter.
      Hell, at that point the ISP can include a link that when clicked will connect to the internal IP of the router and submit new DNS settings in the GET request. A small amount of javascript will handle if a POST is needed.
      There is clearly no password on the web interface to deal with, or they wouldn't have this problem from the malware in the first place, so this should be trivial to fix semi-automated, and likely totally automated with a bit more work.

      This sounds more like laziness and ineptness rather than any technical reason for fixing the problem.

      Um, you're wrong. Getting users to actually a) read email thats important b) pick up the phone and c) even initiate automatic tasks is like getting your 90 year old grandma to change her own oil.

    5. Re:Scripted changes by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

      The ISP even has legit and legal access to their customer premise equipment, so it wouldn't be illegal or labeled as "hacking" in that case.

      Is this how things work in the US? Somehow I don't think this would fly where I live, it would most likely be illegal. (If you're renting a flat in the US, does that mean that the landlord can stroll through your apartment at whim? Also illegal here.). Why the hell would they need it anyway? We have a DSL line, the modem came preconfigured and no one ever had to touch the WAN settings for years. Why the hell would the ISP need to do that? If they need me to change something, they can ask me There's no need for anyone to access the router conf from outside for any reason at all.

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
  12. Holy shit, timothy edited something!?!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The original title had "loose" instead of "lose" and was much more awkward than the title actually published.

    Editors EDITING?! What's next? Dogs and cats living together? Mass hysteria?!?!?!?!?

    1. Re:Holy shit, timothy edited something!?!! by pjt33 · · Score: 2

      He still missed correcting "Internet elder" to "elder of the Internet".

    2. Re:Holy shit, timothy edited something!?!! by Jeng · · Score: 1

      And my first thought was Got Proof?

      --
      Don't know something? Look it up. Still don't know? Then ask.
  13. harumph! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    DNS? pshaw!
    If you just listened to APK and put everything in your HOSTS file, you wouldn't have to worry about any of this folderoll!

    1. Re:harumph! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      DO NOT SUMMON HIM!

    2. Re:harumph! by Just+Some+Guy · · Score: 1

      I hate you for that.

      --
      Dewey, what part of this looks like authorities should be involved?
  14. Re:HAHA !! DSL SUXORS !! by ender- · · Score: 1

    I have had nothing but good service from TWC here in Austin, I understand that in some other markets though that they do indeed suck.

    My experience with DSL though has been nothing but shitty. YMMV.

    DSL Used to be awesome, esp if you could get a 3rd party provider like Speakeasy. Once AT&T was able to avoid giving access to Speakeasy though, it went downhill quickly and has sucked ever since.

    TWC sucks massively here in Arlington,Tx. One of the issues is that they route me through Houston, even if i'm connecting to my work systems a few miles away. But then if I try to access a system in Houston, it sends the traffic down to Houston, back to Dallas, then back down to Houston.

    And those are my options. Nearly non-functional DSL limited to 6Mbps [but only actually getting 3Mbps most of the time] or horribly inefficient TWC at 30Mbps but that routes me all over the place and drops packets like nobody's business...

  15. New computers by jgotts · · Score: 1

    Many of these DSL customers will buy a new computer in July. And then will probably switch to cable. I think a tiny minority will realize that their DSL modem is cooked and be able to convince their ISP of the same.

  16. What the fuck, slashdot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Why would a DSL modem be querying DNS? I can understand this bullshit on msn.com or something, but slashdot?

    1. Re:What the fuck, slashdot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Because they probably act as a router and caching DNS server, too?

  17. TR-069 by stewwy · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Some modems implement this , TR-069 (remote config) protocol. At least some of the clueless should have this active, I'm surprised it's not used more widely by ISP's Of course anyone with half a brain will have it disabled,( do you want your ISP to control your router? ) and if you have it disabled at least you know your modem/router HAS a config page but still, it's for exactly this reason it's there.

  18. This is a trivial number by Skleed · · Score: 5, Insightful

    In 2009, there were 32 million DSL modems in the United States. http://www.internetworldstats.com/am/us.htm

    Even if there has been no growth in DSL usage, 100,000 modems represents 0.3% of all DSL users.

    BUT, this 100,000 number is world wide modems that have been compromised. That makes the actual percentage of modems affected so small that it hardly seems worth the time to calculate it.

    Turn the "bad" DNS off, and most tech support lines will not even notice the increase in support calls.

  19. screw them, they are the infected idiots of the n by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    screw them, they are the infected idiots of the net

  20. duh by IGnatius+T+Foobar · · Score: 3, Interesting

    So the malware guys found a bunch of unpatched DSL modems with a vulnerability that allowed the resolver to be reconfigured remotely, and pointed it towards the "bad" DNS servers.

    So why not just go to the "bad" DNS servers, which they now control, find out the IP addresses of the compromised modems, and use the same vulnerability to reconfigure the resolver to point back to "good" DNS servers?

    --
    Tired of FB/Google censorship? Visit UNCENSORED!
    1. Re:duh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      1. Who will pay for this to happen?
      2. Who takes responsibility if it breaks?
      3. Who has legal liability when a customer claims the change caused their children to grow wings and start worshipping the devil and gets a lawyer?

      If you are a criminal - 1 to 3 don't matter. If you are a company or organisation they do.

      In short - the routers will break, it will be painful for a few months - ISPs will send a bunch of new routers and everyone will stop caring.

    2. Re:duh by toygeek · · Score: 1

      Most routers and modems do not have remote control available over the WAN. Any consumer grade router will have the WAN access turned off by default, you have to be on the local LAN to get to the admin interface. But once you infect a Mac or PC with DNS Changer malware, its trivial to run a script to change the DNS on the router. That's why its smart to change the password on your router. But most people don't even secure their wifi unless that's the default config.

    3. Re:duh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Because that would probably be illegal? They won't do that for the same reason Microsoft won't use a worm to patch a worm.

  21. Why does anyone care about this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Seriously, cut off the freaking modems already and give them a message that they need to change. I am SO sick of this issue littering SlashDot.

  22. Captain Obvious is a terrorist. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You can't do that, it would be efficient and sensible. We've eliminated all that sort of thing from both government and public discourse and we're all better off for it.

    Now get back on the couch and drink your Reaganade.

  23. HOLY CRAP, WHAT A TYPO! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    peer-to-queer downloads

    what an embarrassing Freudian slip.
    you're running the buttorrent client I take it?

  24. How DO I know that the checker web page is legit by goombah99 · · Score: 1

    If DNS changer redirects gov.au then I could be looking at the look-alike DNS changer checker telling me all is fine? They should have listed this as an IP address.
    My computer says it is 165.191.2.65 Is that what yours says?

    --
    Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
  25. I don't put "everything" in my custom HOSTS file by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Interesting

    I only have 50 of my fav. sites "hardcoded" into it w/ their IP addresses resolved via reverse DNS pings (ping -a in Windows) to the ARPA "TLD" ( .in-addr.arpa ) that maintains that information (so it isn't bogus) via reverse DNS checks!

    Then I block off 1,776,632++ KNOWN bad sites/servers/hosts-domains KNOWN to serve up malicious code or malware, botnet C&C servers, bogus DNS servers, adbanner servers & more threats or slowdowns online...

    I do so, "automagically" every 15 minutes via a custom hosts file mgt. program that does the following for end users (Calling it "APK Hosts File Engine 5.0++"):

    ---

    1.) Offers massively noticeable increased speed for websurfing via blocking adbanners

    2.) Offers increased speed for users fav. sites by hardcoding them into the hosts file for faster IP address-to-host/domain name resolutions (which sites RARELY change their hosting providers, e.g.-> of 250 I do, only 6 have changed since 2006 - & when sites do because they found a less costly hosting provider? Then, they either email notify members, put up warnings on their pages, & do IP warnings & redirectors onto the former IP address range to protect vs. the unscrupulous criminal bidding on that range to buy it to steal from users of say, online banking or shopping sites).

    3.) Better "Layered-Security"/"Defense-In-Depth" via blocking host-domain based attacks by KNOWN bad sites-servers that are known to do so (which IS, by far, the majority of what's used by both users (hence the existence of the faulty but for most part working DNS system), AND even by malware makers (since host-domain names are recyclable by they, & the RBN (Russian Business Network & others)) were doing it like mad with "less than scrupulous", or uncaring, hosting providers)

    4.) Better 'anonymity' to an extent vs. DNS request logs (not vs. DPI ("deep packet inspection"))

    5.) The ability to circumvent unjust DNSBL (DNS Block Lists) if unjust or inconveniences a user.

    6.) Protection vs. online trackers

    7.) Better security vs. the DNS system being "dns poisoned/redirected" (a known problem for recursive DNS servers via port 51/53 misdirection)

    8.) Write protecting the hosts file every 1/2 second (supplementing UAC) - even if/when you move it from the default location via this registry entry (which if done, can function ALMOST like *NIX shadow passwords because of this program):

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Tcpip\Parameters

    And changing the "DataBasePath" parameter there (I do this moving it to a faster media, a "true SSD" using DDR-2 RAM, in the 4gb Gigabyte IRAM I have).

    9.) Automatic downloading & Alphabetic sorting of hosts files' records entries (for easier end user mgt. manually) from 15 reliable sources (of 17 I actually use).

    10.) Manual editing of all files used (hosts to import list, hosts itself in its default location of %windir%\system32\drivers\etc, the hosts files to import/download & process, & favorite sites to reverse dns ping to avoid DNS (noted above why)).

    11.) Removal scanners (if the users decide to remove hosts entries from imported data they can check if the site is indeed known as bad or not (sometimes 'false positives' happen, or just bad entries, or sites clean themselves up after infestation due to vulnerable coding etc./et al)).

    12.) Removal of bloating material in many hosts files like Comments (useless bulk in a hosts file that's "all business")

    13.) Removal of bloating material in many hosts files like Trailing comments after records (produces duplicates)

    14.) Removal of bloating material in many hosts files like Invalid TLD entries (program checks this in a BETTER method than the API call "PathIsURL")

    15.) Removal of bloating material in many hosts files like Trims entries (vs. trailing blanks bloat on record entries)

    16.) Removal of bloating material in many hosts files like the conversion of the larger & SLOWER 127.0.0

  26. Why would a MODEM need DNS? by Gothmolly · · Score: 1

    Surely the modem is a layer1/layer2 device, and not anything higher? Why does the modem itself need DNS settings?

    --
    I want to delete my account but Slashdot doesn't allow it.
    1. Re:Why would a MODEM need DNS? by geminidomino · · Score: 1

      I was wondering the same thing. Then I remembered a few years back when my provider, replacing a modem that had taken a power surge, tried to pawn off one of those "NAT router/modems" on me.

      If they're being used as such, for internal DHCP, that might be a problem, I guess...

    2. Re:Why would a MODEM need DNS? by marcosdumay · · Score: 1

      As far as I know pure DSL modems don't even exist anymore. Every one of them is a NAT router/modem, they only differ at the default config and how hard it is to activate the NAT functionality.

    3. Re:Why would a MODEM need DNS? by aiht · · Score: 2

      I was wondering the same thing. Then I remembered a few years back when my provider, replacing a modem that had taken a power surge, tried to pawn off one of those "NAT router/modems" on me.

      If they're being used as such, for internal DHCP, that might be a problem, I guess...

      What's with all the "combined router/modem" bashing in this thread? Is it really that big a problem for you, to not be /forced/ to use a separate router and/or switch? Most router/modems I have seen can also be set to a direct or bridge mode to disable the router and go back to being a dumb modem.
      Even more so, what's with all the people who seem to be surprised at the concept? I can't remember the last time I even saw a consumer-level DSL modem that was not also a router - maybe ten years? This is not new or unusual tech.

    4. Re:Why would a MODEM need DNS? by geminidomino · · Score: 1

      Call it residual bad taste. Between the fact that I didn't know that the default config had changed, and that I was dealing with Tier 1 tech support, I was fighting with it for the better part of 5 hours since I was plugging it in to my existing router.

      And you usually can't get the good firmwares for the combo units.

  27. Ask directly by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I've just configured named to ask directly to the root servers. No ISP or fancy easy-to-remember forwarders.

  28. Paul's picture by Nethead · · Score: 1

    That eye-glasses shadow in his picture sure makes him look evil. But my wife says that she's seen him look like that without his glasses. I remember at LISA '96 I asked him a question (ok, it was kinda stupid) and he responded, "RTMF. Next!" But then again at a later LISA he, even though he was sick as a dog, took the time in the hallway to give my wife a detailed answer to a question about round-robin with CNAME records

    I totally respect the man.

    --
    -- I have a private email server in my basement.
  29. The FBI likes their surveillance network. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They're using "OMG the world will crash and burn" as an excuse for the FBI to keep running a DNS surveillance network that some hackers kindly set up for them. Think about it. Why else would shutting down some fucking servers be such a drawn-out process? They don't want to shut them down because they like the information they gain by running them. Otherwise they'd just pull the plug rather than spending years talking about how bad it will be when they pull the plug.

    Think about it: We're talking about people having to fix their DNS settings. While trivial shit like this is beyond the ability of a lot of users, so is owning a computer. Yet somehow these people managed to not only get a computer, but they also managed to get it online somehow. While we have no idea how they accomplished that, somehow they did it, and they'll do it again. Thus, there's nothing to worry about.

  30. 4.2.2.X by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    C'mon, use 4.2.2.{1...6} already !

  31. Curious Blue by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Can't we just redirect these machines to an anti-malicious site that removes the infection? We know that they're a particular OS with certain known vulnerabilities, after all.

    Plus it's not like we're messing with some innocent person's PC, as the computers in question haven't really "belonged" to them for a while now.

  32. Disprove apk on hosts files then by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Seems u can't n tried hiding his post via bogus downmod -> http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2857487&cid=40034765 and you're telling lies because apk explains you're incorrect stating he puts "everything" in a hosts file. He doesn't do that. You fail.

  33. Get back their IPv4 addresses by unixisc · · Score: 1

    Cool - ARIN and other RIRs should just reposses those IPs, and if these DNS modems want to regain their DNS, they should be made to do it via IPv6, not IPv4.

  34. A appreciate your post by Taco+Cowboy · · Score: 1

    I do not have mod point, so I can't mod you up again

    But anyway, I do appreciate what you are doing here

    --
    Muchas Gracias, Señor Edward Snowden !
  35. Re:I don't put "everything" in my custom HOSTS fil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Adblock doesn't protect email programs external to FF, Hosts files do. THIS IS GOOD VS. SPAM MAIL or MAILS THAT BEAR MALICIOUS SCRIPT, or, THAT POINT TO MALICIOUS SCRIPT VIA URLS etc.

    Adblock works great in Thunderbird an email program external to FF (both depend on the Mozilla Found. but are independent). so does noscript. get your facts straight.

  36. Thoughts of others w/ urs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "I do not have mod point, so I can't mod you up again But anyway, I do appreciate what you are doing here" - by Taco Cowboy (5327) on Friday May 18, @02:08AM (#40038229)

    In regards to the post u replied to & the question I asked there (where I wondered what it is they 'fear' about hosts files & WHY they downmoderate them, with NO COMPUTING TECHNICAL JUSTIFICATIONS WHY like pointing out technical errors in my post to justify a downmod)?

    This next quote below is no doubt a possible answer (from someone in the security community I spoke to who also gets harassed/stalked/trolled in regards to hosts files):

    ---

    "I don't actually get time for many sites such as slashdot anymore, but certainly see my fair share of trolls on the MyWot (Web of Trust (I'm a moderator there, and MyWot includes hpHosts in their "ratings")) and Malwarebytes forums, and you're correct - it's always either users of malicious software/sites, or the owners of such, that are doing it." Mr. Steven Burn - services@it-mate.co.uk -> hpHOSTS/malwarebytes http://hosts-file.net/?s=Download

    ---

    * There's the answer MOST LIKELY... in a nutshell!

    APK

    P.S.=> In my estimation? The downmodders of my posts on custom hosts files are 1 of 3 types of people:

    ---

    1.) A competing product maker who is afraid of hosts files (mostly antivirus OR antispyware people I'd wager, because if you cannot GET to sites that serve up exploits and THAT IS THE #1 CAUSE OF EXPLOITS to "get inside" ala trojans for remote exploitation (even you noted trying it)? You cannot be burned by them... what you cannot touch, cannot hurt you! Period...

    2.) A webmaster being cut out of revenues by adbanner blocking (which robs users of money they pay out in speed/bandwidth for websurfing AND screen realestate too).

    3.) A maker of DNS server programs (because hosts overcome issues in them, complimenting them in fact overcoming said weaknesses & they're easily controlled BY THE END USER TOO) & hosts help avoid tracking via DNS request logs also, by circumventing them completely for favorite sites users can 'hardcode' into a custom HOSTS file.

    4.) A malware maker (per Mr. Burn of hpHosts/malwarebytes in the security community even SECONDING me on).

    ---

    (Take your pick - tell us then, which of those are the downmodders of my posts on the added speed, security, reliability & even anonymity to an extent (vs. DNSBL's &/or DNS request logs) end users gain by using custom hosts files?)...

    ... apk

  37. How about Outlook/Outlook Express? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Adblock works great in Thunderbird an email program external to FF (both depend on the Mozilla Found. but are independent). so does noscript. get your facts straight." - by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 18, @06:11AM (#40039263)

    OR Windows LIVE mail? No.

    (Thunderbird's just an instance of Mozilla/FireFox browsers put into "email mode"! Thus, it's NOT "external to" the browser family I noted of Mozilla/FireFox like Outlook, Outlook Express, or other email programs are... & AdBlock will NOT work on those, & neither will NoScript!)

    * So - YOU get YOUR facts straight & see subject-line above...

    (I also never said NoScript wouldn't work for Mozilla/FireFox products - so attempting to put words in my mouth I never once stated? Piss poor result, troll!)

    APK

    P.S.=> That was SO WEAK, it's not even funny from you... lol!

    ... apk

    1. Re:How about Outlook/Outlook Express? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      WTF ? who's this APK troll ?

      Adblock doesn't protect email programs external to FF

      not true adblock+thunderbird protects you.

      Thunderbird's just an instance of Mozilla/FireFox browsers put into "email mode"!

      complete BS. they both use xulrunner and gecko engine but are not the same program at all. Google's Chrome also is xulrunner-based too and Picasa also uses Gecko as well. They are not Firefox.

      how am I trolling by straightening technical facts ?

    2. Re:How about Outlook/Outlook Express? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      WTF ? who's this APK troll ?

      My Dearest Peter, a.k.a. Alexander Peter Kowalski, is a well known spammer and troll, banned from multiple websites. He has some sort of multiple personalities disorder and brags and barks a lot but has no teeth to bite. Don't worry, just ignore him as everyone else around does (and as someone said before in this thread "do not summon him"). You can also play with it, it's a bit funny at the beginning but you'll quickly get tired of it although it's an unbreakable toy.

      Also note that he's unable to prove any of the achievements he claims because he's unable to prove his identity nor is he able to understand the concept of identity. He also will threaten to sue you but never will and will tell you that your place is in a kitchen if you're an unfortunate member of the female class. He admitted (more like claimed) being raped multiple time by his ex-girlfriend and of abducting at least one of them, probably the same.

      As you noted, he's unable to admit that he's made an error. Making errors happens to everyone and most people are willing to admit it and learn from it. He simply can't.

      He's also keeping records of all his upmods on slashdot but of none of his downmods (too many of these), thinks that there is a Great Conspiracy against Him and will keep answering as long as you post a line after him. You can try it for yourself: just post "Hi Peter, I love you" after each of his post and he will answer about a 1000 lines of gibberish. every. single. time.

      Sometimes his mental algorithm enters a loop and sometimes there is a callback function called that makes a new poster appear and write single-line posts trying to act as if it's not him. You get it, I think it's actually a bot, a very good one at that. I'm writing a paper for a special issue of JEPG about him. A very interesting case.

      He has no PhD of any sort and seems to have developed an inferiority complex about it, he's no security expert but keeps acting and posing as one, there is a long list of childish manners in the way he behaves and he has an illegible writing style, as you've probably noted.

      ...

      Profit !

    3. Re:How about Outlook/Outlook Express? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ur off topic troll. Mod him down.

  38. All the unjustified moddowns in the world by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Can't hide FACTS & TRUTHS in this post -> http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2857487&cid=40037709

    * Face it - All the moddowns in the world (especially those like that one that are NOT technically justified illustrating technical mistakes on MY part, of which ZERO was shown mind you) can't stop truth/facts my post contained + I won't allow you to attempt to "hide them" via your technically unjustified moddowns, & which the downmodders apparently FEAR, badly, because they mod that post down...

    APK

    P.S.=> So keep blowing your mod points trolls - I'll just drag my post back into view with this reply is all... and you can't stop that, can you? Nope... lol!

    ... apk

  39. Why? cuz he blows u trolls away? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Like here where all u had's downmods that aren't justifiable http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2857487&cid=40034765 and where his post was downmodded but nobody showed any valid technical computing mistakes in it? Talk about 'tipping your hand' as a malware maker probably who fears custom hosts files usage by end users becoming aware of them.

  40. APK blew trolls away again? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    All they had vs. his post was an unjustified mod down http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2857487&cid=40034765

  41. Re:I don't put "everything" in my custom HOSTS fil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    just for the record, I found it amusing that this hit (score:0, interesting) last night.

  42. You evade the question (other email programs) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Adblock doesn't protect email programs external to FF" - by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 18, @09:26AM (#40040165)

    Moron, what about Outlook/Outlook Express, Windows LIVE mail, & other email programs that are NOT "firefox/mozilla" based?

    Hmmm??

    (U FAIL!)

    Hence WHY you post as "AC" stalking/harassing/trolling me, because you KNOW you're full of it (& technically WEAK in computing)...

    ---

    "not true adblock+thunderbird protects you." - by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 18, @09:26AM (#40040165)

    I suggest you review how "well" AdBlock works on 2 grounds, first:

    ---

    Adblock Plus To Offer 'Acceptable Ads' Option

    http://news.slashdot.org/story/11/12/12/2213233/adblock-plus-to-offer-acceptable-ads-option

    ---

    ADBLOCK DOES NOT BLOCK ALL ADS ANYMORE BY DEFAULT...

    Additionally:

    AdBlock runs ontop of already SLOWER usermode/Ring 3/RPL 3 webbrowsers (& hosts are merely a filter for the "Plug-N-Play" designed IP stack, which runs in a FAR faster & more efficient layer of operation & privelege in Ring 0/RPL 0/Kernelmode) adding more processing time CPU usage, memory usage, + other forms of I/O PLUS MORE ELECTRICAL POWER USAGE than hosts files do too...

    ---

    "Thunderbird's just an instance of Mozilla/FireFox browsers put into "email mode"!" - by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 18, @09:26AM (#40040165)

    Is it based on Mozilla products? Yes... no questions asked & thus, it's just a FireFox engine, and hence WHY (again) AdBlock won't work on other external email programs (some examples I noted are above), whereas a hosts file, will... perfectly!

    ---

    "complete BS. they both use xulrunner and gecko engine but are not the same program at all. Google's Chrome also is xulrunner-based too and Picasa also uses Gecko as well. They are not Firefox." - by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 18, @09:26AM (#40040165)

    Same underlying engine moron, hence WHY AdBlock won't work for Outlook/Outlook Express, or Windows "LIVE" mail (and other external to browser email programs as I noted).

    (Sure - You can *TRY* 'mince words', idiot, but that fact remains that it will NOT cover those email programs I noted, when HOSTS files clearly do and more efficiently!)

    ---

    "how am I trolling by straightening technical facts ?" - by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 18, @09:26AM (#40040165)

    You're not just trolling - U ARE FAILING, & badly... lol!

    * Funny how you can't even BEGIN to touch the other 21 points in favor of HOSTS files I noted too, eh?

    (LMAO!).

    APK

    P.S.=>

    'WTF ? who's this APK troll ?" - by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 18, @09:26AM (#40040165)

    Someone whose done MORE in computing, better, & earlier than you have, OR, ever will... because I can certainly state that vs. "anonymous coward" (yourself, a mere troll who doesn't have the balls to confront me with his std. registered user name here no less, because you KNOW you're full of it)... apk

    1. Re:You evade the question (other email programs) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Adblock doesn't protect email programs external to FF" - by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 18, @09:26AM (#40040165)

      Moron, what about Outlook/Outlook Express, Windows LIVE mail, & other email programs that are NOT "firefox/mozilla" based?

      then next time get it right 1st time by writing "Adblock doesn't protect most email programs" moron. and "external to FF" doesn't even mean something moron. There is no email program "internal to FF" moron.

      [snip moronic offtopic blabla]

      "Thunderbird's just an instance of Mozilla/FireFox browsers put into "email mode"!" - by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 18, @09:26AM (#40040165)

      Is it based on Mozilla products? Yes... no questions asked & thus, it's just a FireFox engine

      you've shit in the brain or what ? "Firefox engine" doesn't even make sense. There is no "firefox engine" moron and never was. you got no idea what you talking about. I suggest you go reading a bit and come back when you've learned all about netscape, mozilla, gecko, xulrunner, "et al." instead of talking out your giant moronic ass.

      "complete BS. they both use xulrunner and gecko engine but are not the same program at all. Google's Chrome also is xulrunner-based too and Picasa also uses Gecko as well. They are not Firefox." - by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 18, @09:26AM (#40040165)

      Same underlying engine moron,

      you're saying that picasa and chrome are firefox (same underlying engine moron) ? or implying that IE and outlook express or live mail are the same thing ? you're the moron, moron.

      I'm done with your aggressive trolling and unjustified attacks moron. You are the kind of moronic person who cannot admit when they made a mistake, ever. Seeing all your moronic posts modded -1 Troll you have above suffice to understand that moron.

    2. Re:You evade the question (other email programs) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Get it right on what apk hosts has which isn't everything like u said troll http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2857487&cid=40034765

  43. Re:I don't put "everything" in my custom HOSTS fil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I don't. It's a good read on hosts getting users more speed, security, reliability, and even anonymity to an extent. It's too bad the trolls around here don't want that getting out but it is anyway, as I read it and agree with its points.

  44. Re:HAHA !! DSL SUXORS !! by X0563511 · · Score: 1

    Sounds like someone needs to buck up the escalation chain until someone who knows anything gets on the phone.

    That's a definite problem. Network admins hate those kinds of shenanigans, provided they know about them. That last part is the hard part - how to get it to their attention.

    --
    For large sets, this will be our guide even unto death, for the LORD will work for each type of data it is applied to...
  45. Why? My posts on hosts do well here... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Some "examples thereof" in a 46:1++ ratio vs. your statement:

    ---

    20++ SLASHDOT USERS EXPERIENCING SUCCESS USING HOSTS FILES QUOTED VERBATIM:

    ---

    "Ever since I've installed a host file (http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm) to redirect advertisers to my loopback, I haven't had any malware, spyware, or adware issues. I first started using the host file 5 years ago." - by TestedDoughnut (1324447) on Monday December 13, @12:18AM (#34532122)

    "I use a custom /etc/hosts to block ads... my file gets parsed basically instantly ... So basically, for any modern computer, it has zero visible impact. And even if it took, say, a second to parse, that would be more than offset by the MANY seconds saved by not downloading and rendering ads. I have noticed NO ill effects from running a custom /etc/hosts file for the last several years. And as a matter of fact I DO run http servers on my computers and I've never had an /etc/hosts-related problem... it FUCKING WORKS and makes my life better overall." - by sootman (158191) on Monday July 13 2009, @11:47AM (#28677363) Homepage Journal

    "I actually went and downloaded a 16k line hosts file and started using that after seeing that post, you know just for trying it out. some sites load up faster." - by gl4ss (559668) on Thursday November 17, @11:20AM (#38086752) Homepage Journal

    "Better than an ad blocker, imo. Hosts file entries: http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm " - by TempestRose (1187397) on Tuesday March 15, @12:53PM (#35493274)

    "^^ One of the many reasons why I like the user-friendliness of the /etc/hosts file." - by lennier1 (264730) on Saturday March 05, @09:26PM (#35393448)

    "They've been on my HOSTS block for years" - by ScottCooperDotNet (929575) on Thursday August 05 2010, @01:52AM (#33147212)

    "I'm currently only using my hosts file to block pheedo ads from showing up in my RSS feeds and causing them to take forever to load. Regardless of its original intent, it's still a valid tool, when used judiciously." - by Bill Dog (726542) on Monday April 25, @02:16AM (#35927050) Homepage Journal

    "you're right about hosts files" - by drinkypoo (153816) on Thursday May 26, @01:21PM (#36252958) Homepage

    "APK's monolithic hosts file is looking pretty good at the moment." - by Culture20 (968837) on Thursday November 17, @10:08AM (#38085666)

    "I also use the MVPS ad blocking hosts file." - by Rick17JJ (744063) on Wednesday January 19, @03:04PM (#34931482)

    "I use ad-Block and a hostfile" - by Ol Olsoc (1175323) on Tuesday March 01, @10:11AM (#35346902)

    "I do use Hosts, for a couple fake domains I use." - by icebraining (1313345) on Saturday December 11, @09:34AM (#34523012) Homepage

    "It's a good write up on something everybody should use, why you were modded down is beyond me. Using a HOSTS file, ADblock is of no concern and they can do what they want." - by Trax3001BBS (2368736) on Monday December 12, @10:07PM (#38351398) Homepage Journal

    "I want my surfing speed back so I block EVERY fucking ad. i.e. http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/ and http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm FTW" - by UnknownSoldier (67820) on Tuesday December 13, @12:04PM (#38356782)

    "Let me introduce you to the file: /etc/hosts" -

  46. Re:I don't put "everything" in my custom HOSTS fil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
  47. Re:I don't put "everything" in my custom HOSTS fil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    APK nukes slashdot trolls again for a downmod of his post I replied to now. Against apk's list of facts regarding custom hosts files and what they can do for the end user of them in more speed, security, reliability and even anonymity? A downmod is terribly obviously lame. Good job as usual apk. Others are agreeing with you on that post apk here http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2857487&cid=40038229 too. So now I will just post and drag your post back to visibility despite the trolls modding it down to -1 troll from +1 interesting (which they cannot hide now as its original rating).

  48. A question or 8... by mcgrew · · Score: 1

    TFA says "The affected customer modems make up about a third of the 350,000 to 400,000 internet users believed to still have the DNSChanger malware on either their modems or Windows computers."

    I don't get it. Is this malware Windows specific? How does it infect modems? Is a Linux user affected by this? What if you have Linux cabled to your router and a Windows machine using wifi? How can one determine if they have an infected modem?

  49. Happy Birthday to Me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How will I get my "Have a Happy BDay"'s on facebook from people who I haven't seen since I was 9??

  50. Ur a "ne'er-do-well" fool & troll, nothing mor by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "then next time get it right 1st time by writing "Adblock doesn't protect most email programs" moron. and "external to FF" doesn't even mean something moron. There is no email program "internal to FF" moron." - by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 18, @12:55PM (#40042727)

    See subject-line & I did have it right - I explicitly noted AdBlock only protects vs. Mozilla/FireFox based programs (and it doesn't even do THAT good anymore by default, lol, since it allows "acceptable ads" by default), which Thunderbird CLEARLY IS, dolt

    Thus... you fail as per your usual! AdBlock does NOT protect email programs that are NOT "firefox/mozilla based" as I noted, programs like Outlook/Outlook Express, Windows LIVE mail, & many others like them.

    Period.

    (Has anyone ever told you how absolutely COWARDLY & craven you are, weasel? It's obvious I have SMOKED YOU so BADLY before here, that you don't DARE "take me on" via your registered 'luser' account name here... right? Absolutely!)

    ---

    "you've shit in the brain or what ? "Firefox engine" doesn't even make sense.." - by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 18, @12:55PM (#40042727)

    Both Thunderbird &/or FireFox USE THE MOZILLA BASED ENGINES THEY HAVE IN COMMON... you even noted that!

    (Are you stupid, or just "desperate" to troll? I choose the latter FOR you!)

    ---

    "There is no "firefox engine" moron and never was.." - by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 18, @12:55PM (#40042727)

    Yea, right... & didn't YOU note that ThunderBird &/or FireFox share the SAME MOZILLA BASED UNDERPINNINGS/ENGINES? Yes, you did.

    (You make my point for me, & are trying to "mince words" you absolutely pitiful little "ne'er-do-well" cowardly worm of a troll... lol!)

    ---

    "you got no idea what you talking about. ." - by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 18, @12:55PM (#40042727)

    Ahem: FIRST OF ALL, the correct phrase would be "You have no idea what you're talking about" (you illiterate stooge), & secondly?

    I'd GUARANTEE that in the computer sciences, I did things DECADES AGO you'll never even get CLOSE to accomplishing in the computer sciences arena... guaranteed!

    ---

    "I suggest you go reading a bit and come back when you've learned all about netscape, mozilla, gecko, xulrunner, "et al." instead of talking out your giant moronic ass.." - by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 18, @12:55PM (#40042727)

    LMAO - says the little trolling "ne'er-do-well" who ADMITTED that Thunderbird & FireFox share the same engines (which WAS my point, & that AdBlock will not protect external email programs like Outlook/Outlook Express, Windows LIVE mail & others like them NOT BASED ON THE MOZILLA ENGINES).

    ---

    "you're saying that picasa and chrome are firefox (same underlying engine moron) ? or implying that IE and outlook express or live mail are the same thing ? you're the moron, moron.." - by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 18, @12:55PM (#40042727)

    IE & OUTLOOK EXPRESS share the same engine for 1 thing. Secondly No, that is NOT what I said - I said that AdBlock won't protect non-firefox/mozilla based external email programs (that do NOT use the mozilla engines that AdBlock only works for, & LOL, not even THAT WELL anymore since it doesn't block all ads!)

    ---

    "I'm done with your aggressive trolling and unjustified attacks moron." - by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 18, @12:55PM (#40042727)

    I was "done with you" the moment you opened your snivelling coward's piehole here, you little "ne'er-do-well" nothing/nobody troll... lol!

    ---

    "You are the kind of moronic person who cannot admit when they made a mistake, ever. Seeing all your moronic posts modd

  51. That the "best you've got", off-topic troll? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    See subject-line, & then ATTEMPT to disprove my points on hosts files here -> that are PROOF of what they do for end users of them (better speed, security, reliability, + more, & even anonymity to an extent (vs. DNSBL's &/or DNS Request logs)).

    * Your bullshit in particular though? Same as it ALWAYS is?? Gets "tired", fast... & old.

    (Grow some new material you off-topic "ne'er-do-well" troll!)

    APK

    P.S.=> What makes ME laugh the most? The clearly off-topic b.s. & downmods of my posts (but NEVER anyone disproving all of their points, or even SOME of them) done by first using your reg'd "luser" account, logging out, & trolling me by AC posts afterwards... lol, these little "ne'er-do-well NOOBZ" think they're "clever" & "fooling us all" with that b.s. (not) - your statements ALONE "project" that much, as to your "modus operandi" & how you do it... apk

  52. Mod off topic troll parent post I replied to down by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Ur an off topic troll who mods down by a reg. /. acc't. n trolls after by anonymous coward posts. Ur online scum n u know it. We do. We know how cretins like u operate n the means u use to do what u do in down moderating others on forums by using multiple sockpuppet accounts, or just downmodding n trolling by ac posts after as you are doing, n you even project it in ur statements (how else would u know how many mod ups he has, or mod downs which u urself did by a reg'd account, one of many u have no doubt? U must think others are stupid. We're not. Grow up u scumbag).

  53. More unjustified moddowns? Please, lol... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    See subject-line, & "rinse, lather, repeat" per this -> http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2857487&cid=40037709

    U FAIL TROLLS... all you have is your "effete moddowns" (done by your numerous alternate registered accounts/sockpuppets you use) + off-topic trolling vs. facts I put up on hosts files that show users of them gain speed, security, reliability, & even some anonymity, that you CANNOT disprove... period.

    * The second you have to resort to off-topic b.s. &/or using computer technically unjustified downmods is the very SECOND I win... which is, of course, every damned time as usual.

    APK

    P.S.=> And, you know it... apk

  54. Jeremy Reimer and Thor SCHMUCK? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Now, as to your usual b.s. regarding Jeremy Reimer & Thor SCHMUCK, here is my std. reply disproving your b.s. troll:

    "THOR SCHMUCK"? LMAO, he refused to answer my points there when I replied (on PING.EXE, SPYBOT SEARCH & DESTROY, which violate CA's 21 point test via ping of death or altering HOSTS files, & MORE) on his own website... made him look QUITE poorly, easily. With facts, as is my usual style.

    Also, my single app (of 40 freeware/sharewares I did years ago, some ending up as commercially sold products or code in them) was lowered to ZERO THREAT LEVELS after I passed all 21 questions for that @ CA no less!

    Heck - that SINGLE APP of 40 or so I have written online to date?

    It's NOT EVEN SCRIPTABLE FOR ATTACK - whereas by way of comparison? Others are creating apps like it also, in 64 bit no less, per this example thereof:

    http://www.start64.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2254:hidden-start-run-apps-in-the-background&catid=70:64bit-process-management&Itemid=136

    That one is though...

    Does CA list it? Oh, wait a second - CA had to SELL OFF THEIR PC TOOLS DIVISION (it sucked is why, lol):

    http://www.updatapartners.com/news/151/Updata-Partners-to-Acquire-CA-Technologies-Internet-Security-Business-Unit-/

    Thor SCHMUCK (degreeless wannabe that he is in the computer sciences) is, afaik, the one that submitted my app to CA as a malware!

    (It was not intended by myself for that kind of use, I wrote it in good faith for a forums guy that wanted a way to launch OLD Apache server for Windows like a service, invisibly, & since that's only 1-2 lines of code to do? I did! It's not scriptable for attack though, period (no argc/argv code in it is why)).

    CA, now there's a story. Ask Computer Associates about their being caught in a millions of dollars financial/accounting scam, here:

    http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/215116/computer_associates_cofounder_led_22.html

    Real reputable company, eh?

    In fact, I passed every single one of the 21 questions for removal of my ware from their site, & all they ended up doing was lowering it down to a "zero threat level"...

    I'm not too concerned about it, because they also do it to others (along with other Antivirus/Antispyware companies, and we all know how "effective" those are, especially lately vs. today's "blended threats").

    In fact? I am actually in GOOD COMPANY on that account as others have had it happen to they as well!

    Ask Dr. Mark Russinovich of Microsoft or Nir Softer of NIRSOFT if they've ever had their numerous apps libeled along with themselves in the same manner... (answer = they have, so I suppose I am in "good company" here, eh?)

    Thor Schrock, lol, another "credible expert" (NOT): That guy doesn't even have a CSC degree or even a single A+ type certification to his name.

    All I can say to and about Thor SCHMUCK, is this: GOD BLESS TY TYMKOVICH (LOL, run that by him, it ought to be good for a laugh... the fool got wickedly SUCKERED by him to the tune of $5,500)...

    ----

    JEREMY REIMER??

    He got caught by his ISP, Shaw in Canada, for email harassing me as well as impersonating me on his website (along with death threats from he & his pal Jay Little which ended up with a detective Felton in B.C. Canada where Reimer lives taking care of the rest for me).

    LOL, Reimer's SO UNQUALIIED, he had to try to bring others, much to his own dismay... especially Fat Jay Little!

    Jay Little, who claimed to be an "Exchange Exper

  55. You've got "delusions of grandeur" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "I'm writing a paper for a special issue of JEPG about him. A very interesting case." - by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 18, @05:29PM (#40046391)

    See subject-line above, & care to show us your:

    1.) PhD in the psychiatric sciences?
    2.) Your license to practice said science??
    3.) Your formal examination of myself in regards to my "alleged mental state" from YOU, "Dr. Quack 'the SiDeWaLk-ShRiNk of /.'" given in a professional psychiatric environs?

    (Oh that's right - you have "NONE OF THE ABOVE" to your name/credit!)

    ---

    "He has no PhD of any sort" - by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 18, @05:29PM (#40046391)

    Ahem: DO YOU? See the above... you obviously have "delusions of grandeur", troll, in thinking you're some sort of licensed & practicing psychiatric pro & you're clearly NOT... lol!

    ---

    "and seems to have developed an inferiority complex about it, " - by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 18, @05:29PM (#40046391)

    Nothing of the kind - I merely point out that YOU, "Dr. Quack, the 'SiDeWaLk-ShRiNk of /.'" are unqualified in your attempts @ "forums psychiatry" is all... lol!

    Are you a PhD & especially in the psychiatric sciences? Answer = NO.

    ---

    "he's no security expert but keeps acting and posing as one" - by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 18, @05:29PM (#40046391)

    Thanks for "projecting" that you *THINK* I am a security expert... but I am actually a many time internationally published software engineer (the guys who create the tools the "security pros" ACTUALLY USE, & without them they really wouldn't be very effective after all) who has been well-received in publications, tech trade show contests, & commercially sold code to this day (decades later). However, my posts on security guides I did have done well here on /. too (as proof thereof in modded up posts of mine here in the list below next):

    * THE APK SECURITY GUIDE GROUP 18++ THUSFAR (from +5 -> +1 RATINGS, usually "informative" or "interesting" etc./et al):

    APK SECURITY GUIDE:2009 -> http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1361585&cid=29360367
    APK SECURITY GUIDE:2009 -> http://yro.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1218837&cid=27787281
    APK SECURITY GUIDE:2008 -> http://ask.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=970939&cid=25093275
    APK SECURITY GUIDE:2010 -> http://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1885890&cid=34358316
    APK SECURITY GUIDE (old one):2005 -> http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=154868&cid=12988150
    APK SECURITY GUIDE:2008 -> http://ask.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=970939&threshold=-1&commentsort=0&mode=thread&no_d2=1&cid=25092677
    APK SECURITY GUIDE:2008 -> http://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1027095&cid=25747655
    APK SECURITY TEST CHALLENGE LINUX vs. WINDOWS:2007 -> http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=267599&threshold=1&commentsort=0&mode=thread&cid=20203061
    APK SECURITY GUIDE:2010 -> http://yro.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1638

  56. Seems U make errors, not I... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "he's unable to admit that he's made an error. Making errors happens to everyone and most people are willing to admit it and learn from it. He simply can't." - by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 18, @05:29PM (#40046391)

    Speak 4 urself troll: U say I put "everything" in my hosts file here -> http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2857487&cid=40034765

    * I easily & clearly prove OTHERWISE there in the link above... U FAIL!

    (Of course, you're also MORE THAN WELCOME to disprove my points there in the link above also on the gains in speed, security, reliability, & even anonymity to an extent that custom HOSTS files give end users of them too... good luck - you'll NEED it!)

    APK

    P.S.=> Get over yourself, & realize 1 thing: The "trolling likes of YOU"? You will NEVER have the skills in the computer sciences OR INTELLECT to ever "get the best of me" (ever)... period!

    After all - You've tried SO MANY TIMES only to fail, & now?

    Now, all you have is more off-topic "b.s." which I also trashed soundly here -> http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2857487&cid=40050267 and here too (regarding your "delusions of grandeur" @ your playing "The 'SiDeWaLk-ShRiNk of /.'" wannabe too, lol) -> http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2857487&cid=40050501

    You? You make ME laugh, & this? Well... you KNOW I've just GOTTA say it, as-is-per-my-inimitable-style:

    This? This was just "too, Too, TOO EASY - just '2EZ'", as always vs. technically WEAK off-topic ad hominem attack attempting & pitifully FAILING TROLLS such as yourself... apk

    1. Re:Seems U make errors, not I... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      See ? everything is there: the AC posting single line, trying to act as if he's not him, the loop (woaw, 6 posts. touched a sensitive spot there Peter, didn't I ?), the illegible writing nobody reads (even I just skim over), the inferiority complex, notably about PhDs.

      Not to forget the incapacity to factually prove any of his so-called achievements:

      apk said: I am actually a many time internationally published software engineer (the guys who create the tools the "security pros" ACTUALLY USE, & without them they really wouldn't be very effective after all) who has been well-received in publications, tech trade show contests, & commercially sold code to this day

      and still, he resorts to "very valuable" (sarcasm) slashdot's upmods of his posts to make his point. Unable to show any of these "internationnally published software", well-received in publications (still waiting for him to show us one of these publications, preferably some peer-reviewed publication, not something like a review by an AC on PCWolrdProNet.com), and I've never heard of the guy in any tech trade show contests.

      Oh I forgot to tell you: he does not understand sarcasms

  57. Estonian names, my ass.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Vladimir Tsastsin, Timur Gerassimenko, Dmitri Jegorov, Valeri Aleksejev, Konstantin Poltev, Anton Ivanvov.
    Why I'm not surprised? Can you see any estonian name here?

  58. russians, not estonians by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Vladimir Tsastsin
    Timur Gerassimenko
    Dmitri Jegorov
    Valeri Aleksejev
    Konstantin Poltev
    Anton Ivanvov

  59. LMAO - U "blew it" from the start here by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Erroneously stating I "put everything into my hosts" -> http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2857487&cid=40034765

    * Face facts, troll: Even with you posting DAYS LATER (thinking I wouldn't see it no doubt) so you can *try* "get the last word" (off topic as per your usual when you FAIL, and you ALWAYS DO, see the link above, lol)...

    Too bad you blew it from the start, eh? LMAO!

    "and still, he resorts to "very valuable" (sarcasm) slashdot's upmods of his posts to make his point." - by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 25, @06:14PM (#40114683)

    It's more than you have though, now isn't it? Funny your /. peers tend to outnumber YOUR "opinion" many orders of magnitude:1 as the ratio, eh? Not... lol!

    Ahhhh, @ this point?

    Well... You KNOW I've just GOTTA say it, as-is-per-my-usual inimitable style vs. cowardly ac stalking/harassing off-topic illogical ad hominem failing attack attempt using trolls like you:

    This? This was just "too, Too, TOO EASY - just '2EZ'"...

    APK

    P.S.=> To THIS line of b.s. from you, noob rookie? I was doing stuff like this BEFORE YOU WERE BORN I'd wager based on this quote from a done-nothing nobody "ne'er-do-well" like yourself:

    "Unable to show any of these "internationnally published software", well-received in publications (still waiting for him to show us one of these publications, preferably some peer-reviewed publication, not something like a review by an AC on PCWolrdProNet.com), and I've never heard of the guy in any tech trade show contests." - by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 25, @06:14PM (#40114683)

    Ahem: Here's a list below of only SOME of my favorites over time then... Which is MORE than "anonymous coward" troll YOU could EVER do.

    So... When YOU can show you've done MORE, BETTER, & EARLIER than I did, troll, per this SMALL ONLY PARTIAL LIST of my "favorites"? That is the day the "trolling likes of YOU" can even BEGIN to *try* to "act my peer" (because until you can show that? You're FAR from my 'peer'):

    "My Name is Ozymandias: King of Kings - Look upon my works, ye mighty, & DESPAIR..."

    ----

    Windows NT Magazine (now Windows IT Pro) April 1997 "BACK OFFICE PERFORMANCE" issue, page 61

    (&, for work done for EEC Systems/SuperSpeed.com on PAID CONTRACT (writing portions of their SuperCache program increasing its performance by up to 40% via my work) albeit, for their SuperDisk & HOW TO APPLY IT, took them to a finalist position @ MS Tech Ed, two years in a row 2000-2002, in its HARDEST CATEGORY: SQLServer Performance Enhancement).

    WINDOWS MAGAZINE, 1997, "Top Freeware & Shareware of the Year" issue page 210, #1/first entry in fact (my work is there)

    PC-WELT FEB 1998 - page 84, again, my work is featured there

    WINDOWS MAGAZINE, WINTER 1998 - page 92, insert section, MUST HAVE WARES, my work is again, there

    PC-WELT FEB 1999 - page 83, again, my work is featured there

    CHIP Magazine 7/99 - page 100, my work is there

    GERMAN PC BOOK, Data Becker publisher "PC Aufrusten und Repairen" 2000, where my work is contained in it

    HOT SHAREWARE Numero 46 issue, pg. 54 (PC ware mag from Spain), 2001 my work is there, first one featured, yet again!

    Also, a British PC Mag in 2002 for many utilities I wrote, saw it @ BORDERS BOOKS but didn't buy it... by that point, I had moved onto other areas in this field besides coding only...

    Being paid for an article that made me money over @ PCPitstop in 2008 for writing up a guide that has people showing NO VIRUSES/SPYWARES & other screwups, via following its point, such as THRONKA sees here -> http://www.xtremepcc

  60. really ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hi Peter, I love you

  61. Yes, really (u blew it right from the start) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    With u saying I put "everything into the hosts file" -> http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2857487&cid=40118755 &, I clearly don't

    Thus, "U FAIL" (as per your usual vs. myself).

    APK

    P.S.=>

    "Hi Peter, I love you" - by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 26, @04:01AM (#40118997)

    You quite clearly have issues: I don't NEED or WANT an "online psycho-stalker" like you... ok? Thanks... apk

    1. Re:Yes, really (u blew it right from the start) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He's also keeping records of all his upmods on slashdot but of none of his downmods (too many of these), thinks that there is a Great Conspiracy against Him and will keep answering as long as you post a line after him. You can try it for yourself: just post "Hi Peter, I love you" after each of his post and he will answer about a 1000 lines of gibberish. every. single. time.

      and

      [snip apk's moronic blabla]

      "Hi Peter, I love you" - by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 26, @04:01AM (#40118997)

      You quite clearly have issues: I don't NEED or WANT an "online psycho-stalker" like you... ok? Thanks... apk

      wow, just wow. it *does* work !

      now (and I'll just paraphrase your yourself (sic) ) care to show us *your*:

      1.) PhD in the psychiatric sciences?

      2.) Your license to practice said science??

      3.) Your formal examination of myself in regards (sic) to my "alleged mental state" from YOU (sic bis), "Dr. Quack 'the SiDeWaLk-ShRiNk of /.'" given in a professional psychiatric environs (sic ter) ?

      mind to expand about "pot calling the kettle black" ?

  62. U FAIL (right from the start here, lmao!) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I don't put "everything" in my hosts file as you stated & U blew it, troll -> http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2857487&cid=40034765

    * "Read 'em & WEEP", troll... u fail!

    ---

    As far as THIS from you? Hehehe:

    "He's also keeping records of all his upmods on slashdot but of none of his downmods (too many of these), thinks that there is a Great Conspiracy against Him and will keep answering as long as you post a line after him."

    I have tons of upmods though... especially for a TOTALLY AC POSTER (which is hard for us to get since the forums board by default tends to "bury us" below registered users posts).

    AND

    Anyone can follow someone around tossing bogus downmods around here IF they have a registered 'luser' account after all, which is what you're projecting you do to myself in your statement above & other times too

    ---

    So... who else KNOWS this goes on here?

    Mr. Bruce Perens does:

    "It just takes one Ubuntu sympathizer or PR flack to minus-moderate any comment. Unfortunately, once PR agencies and so on started paying people to moderate online communities, and to have hundreds of accounts each, things changed." - by Bruce Perens (3872) on Friday July 30, @03:55PM (#33089192) Homepage Journal

    SOURCE -> http://linux.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1738364&cid=33089192

    Obviously You're now just PROJECTING you do that to me downmodding my posts unjustly However, I could honestly care less - as I don't get "karma" points as an AC poster!

    Plus, everytime I get an "unjustified moddown"? Yes - Those get bookmarked too... Especially vs. transparent unintelligent jackasses like yourself (for proofs of it, which I have tons). So, it's PRETTY OBVIOUS You do that, & stalk me as you do now too (that's against laws you know)...

    You do it, albeit by "ac posts" because you KNOW I keep favorites/bookmarks of all the times I dust those who *TRY* "take me on" & fail... Hence, lol, why you troll/harass/stalk me by ac replies nowadays & for MONTHS now... lol!

    Why?

    Simple - you've FAILED too many times vs. myself... and you know it! So you "stalk/harass" me by ac trolling posts, only to amuse me, & to fail again on YOUR part, making ME, look good as-per-my-usual vs. yourself & your MANY "fails" vs. me... lol!

    Basically, you KNOW you can't ever "get the best of me" on computer technical debate information OR anything else...

    You also know IF you post as your normal "registered 'luser'" account here, I'll toss back SO MANY OF YOUR PREVIOUS "FAILS" vs. MYSELF, you'd be a worse laughingstock than you are now...

    (I know it, YOU know it, & now? Everyone ELSE here knows it... lol! I love it... it's SO obvious!)

    APK

    P.S.=> Lastly/Bottom-line here: IF all you have in this life is trolling others, and THEN (lol) UTTERLY BLOWING IT RIGHT OFF THE BAT (as shown above)?

    LMAO @ U... bigtime, as-per-my-usual vs. yourself, the "ac stalker/harasser" troll... & YOU KNOW I've just GOTTA say it, as-is-per-my-usual-inimitable-style:

    This? This was just "too, Too, TOO EASY - just '2EZ'", as always, vs. the cowardly little worm of a stalker I am replying too... lol! I get that "last laugh" & YOU make it EASY for me... everytime!

    ... apk"

  63. unbelievable ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    but ... but ... Peter, I truly do love you ! like any man on earth would instantly fall in love with you. you're so great. why do you reject me like that ?

  64. "Rinse, Lather, & Repeat", troll (U FAILED) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2857487&cid=40128305

    * Yes folks - it's TRULY that simple to dispatch off-topic illogical failing ad hominem attack utilizing trolls...

    APK

    P.S.=> Especially ones that obviously have SOME sort of "issues" that stalk/harass others online with quotes like these:

    "but ... but ... Peter, I truly do love you ! like any man on earth would instantly fall in love with you. you're so great. why do you reject me like that ?" - by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 27, @11:30AM (#40128537)

    Whew... Man, YOU'RE "StRaNgE", no questions asked.

    (Seriously: I don't need your stalking & that's breaking laws too on your part... you are indeed, "troubled" to say the least).

    Now, lastly, as far as my being "great"? Hey - thanks, IF YOU SAY SO, for once you MAY be correct (quite a change for you, eh? LOL!)

    Makes me feel like Duke Nukem & his NEW BOOK (lol) "Why I'm SO great" -> http://www.google.com/search?sclient=psy-ab&hl=en&site=&source=hp&q=%22Duke+Nukem+Why+I'm+so+great%22&btnG=Search&gbv=1&sei=SE7CT4CiL_G36QHW9qmvCg

  65. every. single. time ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    hey moron, care to show us your PhD in the psychiatric sciences, moron ? Your license to practice said science, moron ?? Your formal examination of myself in regards (sic) to my "alleged mental state" from YOU (sic bis), "Dr. Moron Quack 'the SiDeWaLk-ShRiNk of /.'" given in a professional psychiatric environs (sic ter) ?
     

    Now, lastly, as far as my being "great"? Hey - thanks, IF YOU SAY SO, for once you MAY be correct (quite a change for you, eh? LOL!)

    you, great ? you're the worst moron on earth, moron, this guy had it right from the start, you moron:

    AC explaining us who apk is said: "Oh I forgot to tell you: he does not understand sarcasms"

  66. U "blew it" right off-the-bat here by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "you, great ? you're the worst moron on earth, moron, this guy had it right from the start, you moron:" - by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 27, @05:20PM (#40130499)

    Didn't NEED 2 be 'great' to defeat U, dolt, lol. See here -> http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2857487&cid=40034765

    (YOU did THAT, to yourself... lmao, & that's the BEST PART, lol!)

    ---

    "hey moron, care to show us your PhD" - by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 27, @05:20PM (#40130499)

    LMAO - I didn't require a PhD to "nuke" you: YOU made that VERY EASY for ME, with your own screwups... lol!

    * See link above... lol!

    APK

    P.S.=> I love it... YOU are SO EASY to "get the better of", it's NOT EVEN FUNNY anymore... apkb

  67. And yet he keeps answering by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "hey moron, care to show us your PhD in the psychiatric sciences, moron ?" - by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 27, @05:20PM (#40130499)

    apk said: I didn't require a PhD

    hey moron, you're a paranoiac nutjob, completely crazy and you should take your medications for your schizophrenia, moron.

    and it seems I don't require a PhD to say so, since so many people already told you so and since you don't need one, moron. you're outnumbered 100:1 on this one, nutjob, because you're the only one crying like a baby that you're not crazy whereas we are 100s to calmly assert that you are, moron

  68. Speak 4 urself: Quit "projecting" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    U blew it right from the get-go here & u know it -> http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2857487&cid=40034765 ,I know it, & everyone reading, knows it.

    * Yes, that's right - U FAIL, as-per-your-usual vs. myself troll - U said I put "everything" into my custom hosts file? WRONG! See link above!

    "Eat Ur Words", lol...

    QUESTION:

    How do your words taste now that you must eat them, flavored w/ the "bitter taste of self-defeat" + YOUR OWN FOOT IN YOUR MOUTH with them?

    (LMAO @ U TROLL - since only a troll like yourself would "blow it" out of the gate as YOU DID in the link above... hilarious!)

    APK

    P.S.=> The off-topic illogical failing ad hominem attack attempting little obsessed troll's PROJECTING his own "issues" & is absolutely being "the pot calling the kettle black" also (in his futile & WEAK attempts @ "offsetting" his BLOWING IT COMPLETELY HERE, lol, w/ more of his b.s.!)...

    ... apk

  69. guys, it's hilarious: he answered ! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    really ? you keep answering ?

    this can only mean one thing: you keep track of all your posts on /. until comments are closed (about 20 days or so), and since you post a lot of your pointless spam, it means that you're either a) a student, b) unemployed or c) not doing your job properly. If I were your boss I'd fire you for not actually working.

    and you didn't take your medication yet ? you should ask your boyfriend to prepare them for you, sweetheart.

  70. "Pot calling the kettle black", troll? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Absolutely (see subject above) & quit projectin ur other issues w/ medication, being unemployed, etc./et al from you in your off-topic illogical ad hominem attack attempting FAIL here, lol!

    (Which again, You project that you obviously have personal experience with in addling ur brain SO BADLY w/ your "meds" that you "blew it" right from the start here -> http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2857487&cid=40034765 , lmao!)

    * Yes, that's right - U FAIL, as-per-your-usual vs. myself troll - U said I put "everything" into my custom hosts file? WRONG! See link above!

    APK

    P.S.=> Answer this QUESTION, troll (seeing as how you AVOIDED IT to no end earlier, lol, "gosh, I wonder WHY?", lol... NOT!):

    How do your words taste now that you must eat them, flavored w/ the "bitter taste of self-defeat" + YOUR OWN FOOT IN YOUR MOUTH with them?

    (Again - see link above, after all, you ONLY DID THAT TO YOURSELF... lol, blowing it here, pitifully...)

    (LMAO @ U TROLL - since only a troll like yourself would "blow it" out of the gate as YOU DID in the link above... hilarious!)

  71. apk's orgasm now ! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    hahaha :D.

    I'm sorry, I just had a vision of you in your mom's basement, desperately clicking the refresh button of your IE6 every 5 minutes, hoping that someone has answered one of your spamfest/trolling, and having an orgasm whenever you get one because it means that someone, yes someone is actually and finally interacting with you.

    oh man that vision was hilarious ... except for the orgasm. you're gross man !

    because that's what you do all day long, don't you ? amiright ?
     

    apk blathered: quit projectin ur other issues w/ medication, being unemployed, etc./et al

    oh it seems like I triggered a sensitive point here ... so unemployed it is ! you're so easy to read, a true child.

    to sum up: unemployed, no wife, no child, spending all your time on the Internet, keeping track of all your posts and who answers what. Get a life dude !
    btw you obviously have not idea of how and when to use respectively "etc." and "et al". I suggest you stop misusing both, now, especially together.

  72. What's it taste like eating UR WORDS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Flavored w/ the 'bitter taste of defeat' + ur foot in ur mouth -> http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2857487&cid=40034765

    * Hmmm?

    (Additionally - Right from your 1st attempted trolling/harassing post of myself, you FAIL right outta the starting line no less... lol!)

    LMAO!

    Hey, it was great winning here... your own screwups make it & you KNOW I just GOTTA say it) "too, Too, TOO EASY - just '2EZ'"...

    APK

    P.S.=> Whatever other fantasies you had about me you scrawled, all I can say to any of them is simple, & this:

    Once more - Quit projecting YOUR FAULTS onto me - it only "shows your tell" & your own issues... apk

  73. apk answers 4 ever by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    And there we are ... by answering you just made our point :-)

    unemployed, no wife, no child, spending all your time on the Internet, keeping track of all your posts and who answers what

    Care to disprove ANY of these ? moron ...

  74. What's it like "eating ur words" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Flavored w/ the 'bitter taste of defeat' + ur foot in ur mouth -> http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2857487&cid=40034765

    * You keep AVOIDING that SIMPLE QUESTION... Why?

    Answer = LMAO - We KNOW why... lol - you BLEW IT right from the start here...

    (Utterly hilarious: U FAILED & right from your 1st attempted trolling/harassing post of myself here... lol!)

    APK

    P.S.=> Whatever other fantasies you had about me you scrawled, all I can say to any of them is simple, & this:

    Once more - Quit projecting YOUR FAULTS onto me - it only "shows your tell" & your own issues which have NOTHING TO DO with the topic @ hand - thus, not only do you have to "eat ur words" but you're also "off-topic"... apk