Hackers Claim PlayStation Network Take-Down

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Hackers Claim PlayStation Network Take-Down

Posted by timothy on Sunday August 24, 2014 @10:02AM from the so-sony-takes-the-credit? dept.

This morning, Sony's PlayStation network was knocked offline for North American users. According to ShackNews, Several tweets have gone up throughout Saturday evening, in which Lizard Squad has taken responsibility for the attacks. The group started with Blizzard's servers that include Hearthstone, Diablo 3, World of Warcraft and others. The group quickly spread to League of Legends and Path of Exile before deciding to spread their terror to PlayStation Network. Sony apparently had some trouble admitting that the network wasn't behaving as it should be, but came around with acknowledgment on twitter.

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Jerks by Jethro · 2014-08-24 10:18 · Score: 3, Funny

Why do they always have to do this when I have a bout of insomnia and would really like to get online and shoot some Geth? Ugh.

--

In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is kinky.
1. Re:Jerks by Travis+Mansbridge · 2014-08-24 11:55 · Score: 1
  
  Isn't Mass Effect a singleplayer game?
2. Re:Jerks by Khyber · 2014-08-24 13:09 · Score: 1
  
  This is why I keep playing Doom. Nobody's trying to fuck that community up. Plenty of awesome game modes, fun times.
  
  --
  Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
3. Re:Jerks by Jethro · 2014-08-24 14:03 · Score: 1
  
  Yeah, ME3 has a multiplayer portion which was kind of an afterthought but a lot of people (myself included) really like it.
  
  --
  
  In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is kinky.
Did they also ground a flight? by dow · 2014-08-24 10:20 · Score: 5, Interesting

Saw some anger against Lizard Squad on Twitter, and after looking into it, I'm not sure but it certainly appears that they called in a bomb threat on a flight the Sony CEO (or some other bigwig, I forget) was taking, and ended up getting it grounded. There's some other claims about them being based in the so called Islamic State in Iraq, challenging FBI agents to come and get them.
1. Re:Did they also ground a flight? by mjwalshe · 2014-08-24 10:37 · Score: 1
  
  Erm in Syria that would the CIA not the FBI
2. Re:Did they also ground a flight? by Pyrion · 2014-08-24 10:46 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  It was John Smedley, CEO of SOE, according to his Twitter account. His American Airlines flight was diverted from San Diego to Phoenix.
  
  --
  "There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge." - Bertrand Russell.
Security isn't in the budget by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-24 10:23 · Score: 1, Insightful

Keep telling yourself that Sony.
1. Re:Security isn't in the budget by arbiter1 · 2014-08-24 11:22 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  Nothing is secure no matter how much money you put in to it.
Re: Should of never got rid of other OS and outsor by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-24 10:29 · Score: 2, Funny

Get raped, faggot.
Well now. That's no way for an executive of Sony to act, especially the CIO.
Let's look at the positives! by ernest.cunningham · 2014-08-24 10:34 · Score: 2, Funny

Suddenly the world was more productive!
1. Re:Let's look at the positives! by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-24 13:16 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  At first I was like,"Why do the hackers target innocent game players when there are so many corrupt bad guy targets they could aim at?"
  
  By unplugging people from their video games, they might pause from their mindless game playing and get involved for change...
  
  Nope, not really, they'll just be that much more pissed at hackers and be more willing to support anti-hack legislation when it rolls around.
  
  Seriously, stop being the bully in the playground, it helps no one.
2. Re:Let's look at the positives! by Tablizer · 2014-08-24 18:29 · Score: 1
  
  Suddenly the world was more productive!
  No, we all came to troll on Slashdot instead
  
  --
  Table-ized A.I.
3. Re:Let's look at the positives! by Ravaldy · 2014-08-25 04:38 · Score: 1
  
  Your dreaming buddy!
  If they aren't involved now they won't be anymore involved without the video game. People either have will power or they don't. Taking away a bad habit will just make them find a new one.
Re:Should of never got rid of other OS and outsorc by carbuck · 2014-08-24 10:53 · Score: 2

Someone who has enough skill to use the Other OS function probably has enough skill to install CFW. None of the people that I know that actually use Other OS are currently affected by the removal of Other OS. Script kiddies attacking PSN doesn't affect Sony as much as it affects the users that play online or pay for the service.
Re:Should of never got rid of other OS and outsorc by arbiter1 · 2014-08-24 11:21 · Score: 2

Yea considering they attacked bunch of other games networks that have nothing to do with playstation, doubt that was the reason.
Re: Should of never got rid of other OS and outsor by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-24 11:24 · Score: 1

Is that STILL an actual insult in this day and age? Do you actually expect someone to feel bad when they read that? The hell is wrong with you?
Re:Fk proprietary consoles. by sqlrob · 2014-08-24 11:27 · Score: 2

Beacuse no one ever DoSes PC
Spread their terror by Psychotria · 2014-08-24 11:35 · Score: 1

The group quickly spread to League of Legends and Path of Exile before deciding to spread their terror to PlayStation Network.
Terror? People were terrified by this? Really?
1. Re:Spread their terror by ilguido · 2014-08-24 11:42 · Score: 2
  
  Well, take a look at these:
  https://twitter.com/LizardSquad
  http://www.vg247.com/2014/08/25/psn-ddos-hacker-bomb-threats-john-smedley-soe-fbi/
2. Re:Spread their terror by PopeRatzo · 2014-08-24 11:54 · Score: 1
  
  Free 2 Play is pretty terrifying.
  
  --
  You are welcome on my lawn.
3. Re:Spread their terror by Trogre · 2014-08-24 14:08 · Score: 1
  
  You must be new here.
  
  --
  "Nine times out of ten, starting a fire is not the best way to solve the problem." - my wife
Re:Fk proprietary consoles. by Famak1994 · 2014-08-24 11:37 · Score: 1

"EA Origin's online systems intermittently unavailable for around 24 hours while a separate attack knocked steam offline for around an hour on Friday." Seems like Valve is on the ball considering it took EA 23 hours longer to recover....
Re: Should of never got rid of other OS and outsor by PopeRatzo · 2014-08-24 11:43 · Score: 2

It's very irresponsible for you to ascribe such a reprehensible and homophobic sentiment to the CIO of Sony.
That comment was clearly made by the CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment, Shawn Layden.

--
You are welcome on my lawn.
Re: Should of never got rid of other OS and outsor by Lisias · 2014-08-24 11:44 · Score: 2

Get raped, faggot.
I just paid my taxes. Next month, perhaps?

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Lisias@Earth.SolarSystem.OrionArm.MilkyWay.Local.Virgo.Universe.org
progress by PopeRatzo · 2014-08-24 11:46 · Score: 2

Aren't you glad that you play games that require connection to Playstation Network?
You know this never happened when people were playing Starcraft on dedicated servers. When you let one company be the nexus for your ability to use an expensive piece of equipment like a Playstation, you have to expect that some days you just won't be able to play the games that you bought.

--
You are welcome on my lawn.
1. Re:progress by CronoCloud · 2014-08-24 13:02 · Score: 2
  
  considering that TFS said that TFH (The Fucking Hackers) started out by targeting Blizzard and later switched to PSN. and are now targeting Xbox Live. I think talking about Starcraft but focusing on PSN is wrong.
  These jerks are targeting everyone. PC and console, Microsoft and Sony.
2. Re:progress by Voyager529 · 2014-08-24 16:43 · Score: 1
  
  These jerks are targeting everyone. PC and console, Microsoft and Sony.
  The GP's point was that Starcraft is possible to play on a server unlikely to get DDoS'd. When my friends and I play Starcraft, it's over a LAN with no internet access at all. If you wish to DDoS my game server, you'll have to trespass to do it.
  Targeting any given company's game servers doesn't affect the titles who don't require that players be online to play them.
3. Re:progress by CronoCloud · 2014-08-25 00:30 · Score: 1
  
  When my friends and I play Starcraft, it's over a LAN with no internet access at all.
  
  What is this, are you 20, living in a dorm/college apartment, and living in 1995? Do you really want to go to the hassle of carting around hardware, setting up networks, coordinating everyone's free time, just for LAN play in this day and age?
4. Re:progress by PopeRatzo · 2014-08-25 00:33 · Score: 1
  
  Well, $400 for the PS4, $60 per game and let's assume at least, what do you think, the average person buys a total of five or six games over the life of the PS4? So now you're up to over $700 of useless kit when you can't connect to Sony's DRM server.
  
  --
  You are welcome on my lawn.
5. Re:progress by Bigbutt · 2014-08-25 01:08 · Score: 1
  
  57, and yes. :)
  [John]
  
  --
  Shit better not happen!
6. Re:progress by leonardluen · 2014-08-25 01:56 · Score: 1
  
  i agree with you.
  how hard is it to put up a damn network? and then i don't have to put up with these bastard lizard pricks ruining everyones fun.
7. Re:progress by kannibal_klown · 2014-08-25 02:28 · Score: 1
  
  Don't get me wrong, playing with your friends while in the same room is INSANELY FUN. Seriously they are a lot more fun than Internet+VOP can ever be.
  But LAN parties aren't my thing anymore unless we all have gaming-worthy laptops
  Carry in your tower + monitor + box of stuff (keyboard, mouse, cables, etc.). Which can be a real pain depending on where you friend lives: in an apartment, where you have to park 100 meters away and then take the stairs. Sometimes make multiple trips.
  By the time you bring in YOUR stuff and wire it up... a fair amount of time has gone past. Then you have to factor in doing all of that in reverse when you want to leave.
  And if you're HOSTING then it's still a hassle: clean out an area large enough, setup a router nearby, find enough tables and chairs, clean up afterwards, etc.
  Again: all laptops is easier. Just a backpack, power brick, and mouse. But I don't spend that much on my laptops.
8. Re:progress by Ravaldy · 2014-08-25 04:42 · Score: 1
  
  Yeah, that makes tones of sense. Oh look, I want to play but none of my friends are online. "I WISH I COULD PLAY WITH OTHER PEOPLE ONLINE WITHOUT HAVING TO LOOK LIKE A CREEP ON MIRC OR OTHER PUBLIC FORUMS LOOKING FOR A FRIEND TO PLAY WITH".
  You should not be allowed to own a car because it's too much evolution for you.
  1% down time doesn't justify dropping a perfectly good working server model.
9. Re:progress by PopeRatzo · 2014-08-25 06:37 · Score: 1
  
  1% down time doesn't justify dropping a perfectly good working server model.
  Is there something wrong with the dedicated server model? It was pretty successful for a little game called Starcraft.
  Look, if it's just about DRM, then just say so. Don't pretend having private servers where you can set up your own LAN parties is a bad model for any other reason than that it takes away a tiny bit of control from Sony.
  
  --
  You are welcome on my lawn.
10. Re:progress by Ravaldy · 2014-08-26 04:23 · Score: 1
  
  Will you pay more? Most players will say no. There is cost in implementing two approaches to network gaming. It may look like a simple extraction of code but it's a lot more than that. You'll understand what I mean if you are more than a base application developer.
11. Re:progress by PopeRatzo · 2014-08-26 07:25 · Score: 1
  
  Will you pay more?
  Pay more for what? Dedicated servers? They had that figured out more than 10 years ago. How much more do you think it would cost to add dedicated servers to a game today? And yes, if people would pay $19.99 for some DLC that gives your character new hats, I'm pretty sure they'd pay for dedicated servers.
  The reason they are not included is because Sony is so scared that there might be some kid in Slovenia playing a pirated version of their game. Not that the kid would actually ever pay for a Sony game, but they are outraged that there is a nickel in some kid's pocket that doesn't belong to them.
  
  --
  You are welcome on my lawn.
12. Re:progress by Ravaldy · 2014-08-27 05:26 · Score: 1
  
  And yes, if people would pay $19.99 for some DLC that gives your character new hats, I'm pretty sure they'd pay for dedicated servers.
  That's a very big assumption but ok...
  
  The reason they are not included is because Sony is so scared that there might be some kid in Slovenia playing a pirated version of their game
  They have every right to protect what is theirs and in the process provide generally a better offering for most players. Most users don't care for dedicated servers anyway. At the end of the day you can choose to not buy Sony games. If you already don't buy Sony games then I don't know why you are up in arms.
13. Re:progress by Voyager529 · 2014-08-27 09:26 · Score: 1
  
  Not 20, not living in a dorm, and not living in 1995.
  Most of my friends have laptops, and amongst the reasons we play older titles is so that they don't need $5,000 Alienware laptops to join. Setup time isn't terrible, especially since "connect to the wifi" is all it really takes (though we do prefer hardwired where practical)...that, and newer games don't work over a LAN anyway.
  "Coordinating everyone's free time" is something that literally everyone does when they throw a party...so gaming is a less acceptable activity to do at a social gathering than getting completely drunk, or pretending to like people you're stuck talking to?
  There are advantages for a LAN party, too: we don't deal with 14-year-olds calling us fags the whole time. We have zero lag, ever. We have zero need for headsets, and it's a whole lot of fun to rag on the person sitting next to you. When we play in cooperative mode, planning attacks is much easier.
  Finally, when the PSN gets DDoS'd, we're still gaming =).
terror? by cascadingstylesheet · 2014-08-24 11:50 · Score: 3, Insightful

before deciding to spread their terror to PlayStation Network.

Terror?
These are games, people. Yeah, they are jerks and should be smacked around for it, but let's not lose our minds.
1. Re:terror? by wonkey_monkey · 2014-08-24 12:01 · Score: 1
  
  So what you're saying is, it's time for us to beat each other's heads in with rocks and feast on the goo inside?
  
  --
  systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
2. Re:terror? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-24 15:07 · Score: 1
  
  So what you're saying is, it's time for us to beat each other's heads in with rocks and feast on the goo inside?
  Nothing so uncivilized. Rather, it's time for us to catch the scoundrels responsible, try them in a neutral court of law before a jury of their peers, and then publicly feed them feet-first into woodchippers.... slowly. As a lesson for the others. You know, like civilized folk.
3. Re:terror? by GNious · 2014-08-24 16:41 · Score: 2
  
  Well, when they escalated it to calling in bomb-threats against an aircraft last night, I think "terror" suddenly became a valid terminology.
4. Re:terror? by Dutch+Gun · 2014-08-24 18:01 · Score: 2
  
  I predict it's going to be pretty terrifying for the twats participating in this DDOS when the authorities come knocking on the door. Some time at the local police station with the threat of serious consequences hanging over their heads should do them some good.
  Life Lesson #1: You aren't anonymous on the internet in the face of a determined investigation.
  Life Lesson #2: Raging against the world and challenging the FBI isn't a good idea.
  
  --
  Irony: Agile development has too much intertia to be abandoned now.
Re:Should of never got rid of other OS and outsorc by Lisias · 2014-08-24 11:53 · Score: 1

Script kiddies attacking PSN doesn't affect Sony as much as it affects the users that play online or pay for the service.
If they manage to repeat the deed next week, you can bet you gamepad it will affect Sony.
Mainly because I don't see MSN Live players complaining about loss of service, do you? XBox owners don't have any reason to fear losing next weekend services, while PSN users will live the week worrying about.

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Lisias@Earth.SolarSystem.OrionArm.MilkyWay.Local.Virgo.Universe.org
Re:Fk proprietary consoles. by Lisias · 2014-08-24 11:55 · Score: 1

Well... I was never DDoSed when playing Quake I's Team Fortress with my friends. :-)

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Lisias@Earth.SolarSystem.OrionArm.MilkyWay.Local.Virgo.Universe.org
Re:Should of never got rid of other OS and outsorc by ilguido · 2014-08-24 12:21 · Score: 3

XBox owners don't have any reason to fear losing next weekend services, while PSN users will live the week worrying about.
Oh rly?
Xbox Live Experiencing Issues, PSN Attackers Taking Credit
Re: Should of never got rid of other OS and outsor by CronoCloud · 2014-08-24 13:51 · Score: 1

Shawn Layden is CEO of SCEA (Sony Computer Entertainment America) not SCE(i). SCEI is led by Andrew House. Layden is under him. SCEI's former head, Kaz Hirai, runs Sony as a whole now.
Which is a good thing, it basically means the gaijin are running SCEI now so we get a better designed console without a crazy arcane architecture and less of the "lets treat the bigger American market like crap and restrict SCEA from doing what's best for the American market and fawn over SCEJ" from SCE.
I have no love for SCEI when it was more "Japanese" in flavor. They're the reason the PS2 didn't get a retail release of the PS2 HDD and BBN.
Re:Should of never got rid of other OS and outsorc by carbuck · 2014-08-24 14:37 · Score: 1

These "hackers" hit Blizzard servers, then PSN servers. How do you know they won't hit MSN Live servers sometime between now and next weekend? Sounds like a bunch of kids out to make a name for themselves. The best way to attract attention is to hit the most popular servers, MSN Live being one. I don't see MSN Live players complaining about loss of service... yet..
Re:Should of never got rid of other OS and outsorc by Lisias · 2014-08-24 15:09 · Score: 1

How do you know they won't hit MSN Live servers sometime between now and next weekend?

I didn't knew. By the time I wrote that, I hadn't received any report on a MSN Live attack yet. Now I have.

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Lisias@Earth.SolarSystem.OrionArm.MilkyWay.Local.Virgo.Universe.org
Re:Should of never got rid of other OS and outsorc by Lisias · 2014-08-24 15:11 · Score: 1

XBox owners don't have any reason to fear losing next weekend services, while PSN users will live the week worrying about.
Oh rly?
Xbox Live Experiencing Issues, PSN Attackers Taking Credit
Well, now they have. Why Lizard Squat took so long? =P

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Lisias@Earth.SolarSystem.OrionArm.MilkyWay.Local.Virgo.Universe.org
Re:Should of never got rid of other OS and outsorc by X.25 · 2014-08-24 16:53 · Score: 1

Mainly because I don't see MSN Live players complaining about loss of service, do you? XBox owners don't have any reason to fear losing next weekend services, while PSN users will live the week worrying about.
Yeah, I can assure you that Playstation owners can't sleep properly and all they think during the work hours is whether PSN will be down next weekend.
Are you 12?
Re:Should of never got rid of other OS and outsorc by tlhIngan · 2014-08-24 17:13 · Score: 1

Someone who has enough skill to use the Other OS function probably has enough skill to install CFW
Actually, CFW is freakishly easy to install. It's just an offline update.
No one uses OtherOS anymore. The reason you use CFW is pirating games and all that. It always has been since the OtherOS folks, pissed at losing it, hacked the PS3 to restore it. Which ended up leaving a huge hole for everyone else to exploit, so there are more than a few ISO loaders and dumpers and all that.
Not sure about their status to play online, since I hear that Sony sends down a binary to run on them to report on the status (client-side trust), which I assume is pretty easy to fake after a few days.
Anyhow, it appears Xbox Live is back up, the best they could do was make it "intermittent". And only login was affected.
What was and wasn't working... by RogueyWon · 2014-08-24 18:41 · Score: 2

As somebody who spent most of the day yesterday on the sofa with his PS3 and PS4...
- First of all, this wasn't just the US. Europe was affected as well.
- Disc-based games were working fine all day on both consoles. I've seen FUD above suggesting that always-online connections may be required for these. They aren't. Certainly, MS wanted to do that until the 2013 E3 (and I'll bet Sony gave it a lot of thought as well), but it never actually happened. Single-player modes of disc-based games were fine all day.
- Providing the console you were using was set as one of your primary consoles, then downloaded games (including PS+ games) were also fine all day.
- Basic login was down at first but came back after a couple of hours. Barring a couple of glitchy periods, it was mostly up through the rest of the day. Cloud save functions were working whenever basic login was up.
- Online matchmaking also came online a few times during the afternoon, though never really for long enough for a proper multiplayer session.
- The PS Store and Account Management features were off until quite late last night, When basic login was up, trying to access these gave a "this service is currently undergoing maintenance" error message, implying Sony had taken them down deliberately as part of the effort to keep basic login and matchmaking working. With Account Management offline, the option to re-download content you'd already purchased was also offline.
As of this morning, everything seems to be fine again. What was interesting was how the timing (on a Sunday, and a Sunday followed by a public holiday in several parts of the world) affected both the Sony response (which in communications terms was extremely slow) and the media-coverage (which was virtually non-existent for most of yesterday).
1. Re:What was and wasn't working... by GTRacer · 2014-08-24 23:56 · Score: 1
  
  As a U.S.-based player, I had no luck connecting to Final Fantasy XIV starting round 11am, giving up at 10:30pm. Not continuous login attempts of course - we had stuff to do during the day. But a good 3 hours of click - fail - click - fail - reboot - click - fail.
  
  I played a little P.T., Last of Us and Pinball Arcade to pass the time but never could get into the PSN Store or to XIV's login screen.
  
  --
  Defending IP by destroying access to it? That makes sense, RIAA/MPAA. Go to the corner until you can play nice!
2. Re:What was and wasn't working... by SparkleMotion88 · 2014-08-25 04:20 · Score: 1
  
  Providing the console you were using was set as one of your primary consoles, then downloaded games (including PS+ games) were also fine all day.
  Not completely. I tried to play a PS+ game that I haven't played in a couple of months. It turns out is was "expired" and it needed to be reactivated by talking to PSN. The activation service was offline, so no dice. This was on a PS3.
Re: Should of never got rid of other OS and outso by loufoque · 2014-08-24 19:56 · Score: 1

Yes, let's make the Playstation a standard American console loke the Xbox instead of keeping its distinct Japanese flavor.
Re:EVE by RyuuzakiTetsuya · 2014-08-24 23:36 · Score: 2

Griefing in EVE not caused by Goon Fleet?
I'm shocked. Like, genuinely shocked.

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Non impediti ratione cogitationus.
Re: Should of never got rid of other OS and outso by CronoCloud · 2014-08-25 00:26 · Score: 1

Japanese flavor may have mattered to the excessively japanophilic otaku...but they/we aren't as big a market segment anymore. Making PS4 development friendlier to US and indie developers has most certainly helped the PS4.
what I know of this by BillyConner · 2014-08-25 02:25 · Score: 1

This weekend the hacker group/individual was attacking game sites to grieve people/players on twitch.TV. LZSQD would ddos the user and taunt them to write lizard squad on their forehead with a sharpie. I couldn't play wow due to this so I was checking on who LZSQD was grieving most of the weekend and hoping they weren't playing a blizzard game so that I could farm my crops in peace. As far as the bomb warning. They went too far on that. From what LZSQ was previously tweeting, the warning seemed like a joke. I figured americanairlines would have tossed it as useless info, I was wrong.
Re:Fk proprietary consoles. by VGPowerlord · 2014-08-25 03:33 · Score: 1

Well, given that both iD and Valve games use client-server models with low numbers of players, is there really any point to trying to DDoS a server?

--
GLaDOS for President 2016! "Well here we are again. It's always such a pleasure." -- GLaDOS, 2011
So this is why... by x_t0ken_407 · 2014-08-25 03:44 · Score: 1

...I couldn't sign-in for most of yesterday :/
Slow, yes. Takedown, no. by WillAffleckUW · 2014-08-25 04:45 · Score: 1

Now, in my day, we got root in the core admin servers and we used it.
Seriously, amateurs.

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-- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
Re:Should of never got rid of other OS and outsorc by Lisias · 2014-08-25 06:30 · Score: 2

Spelling properly will help others to treat you opinions with more respect.
I prefer to respect people for their opinions, not their grammar. As you can easily note. ;-)

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Lisias@Earth.SolarSystem.OrionArm.MilkyWay.Local.Virgo.Universe.org
Re:Fk proprietary consoles. by Lisias · 2014-08-25 06:33 · Score: 1

I wrote a tool back in the day that would boot anybody off any Quake 1 server (except CMU guys off CMU servers - they actually knew how to protect their networks). It was great!
So it was you? Bastard! :-)
Jokes aside, we setup our own server - you would have to portscan half the Internet in order to find our server to DDoS us. :-)
Setting your own game server is Quake 1's most missed feature to me, the rocket jump being the second! :-D

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Lisias@Earth.SolarSystem.OrionArm.MilkyWay.Local.Virgo.Universe.org
Re:Should of never got rid of other OS and outsorc by Dishevel · 2014-08-25 09:27 · Score: 1

Lols.
You got me. I am appropriately admonished.

--
Why is it so hard to only have politicians for a few years, then have them go away?