RBN and it's spin-offs

Keith Medcalf kmedcalf at dessus.com
Thu Dec 31 04:05:19 UTC 2009


>>> Reportedly started by someone operating under the name 
>>> "Flyman," RBN is known as the mother of cybercrime among 
>>> online investigators. François Paget, senior expert for 
>>> the McAfee company, says that RBN began as an Internet 
>>> provider and offered "impenetrable" hosting for $600 a 
>>> month.  This meant a guarantee that it would not give 
>>> out information about its clients, no matter what 
>>> business they were in.

>> This is a commendable position and one that should be the 
>> default for all businesses.  Severe penalties (such as cutting 
>> out of the tongue or cutting off hands) should be dealt to 
>> anyone who releases private information without having first 
>> ensured that such disclosure is in accordance with a properly 
>> obtained court order issued by a competent court in a public 
>> hearing (and no, administrative tribunals are not courts of law).

> Wow.  I always knew there existed some alternate universe where the
> RBN were actually the good guys.  Didn't expect to find it so fast,
> and on nanog at that.

Wasn't it Larry Flynt that said: "Because if its good enough to 
protect a scumbag like me its sure darn good enough to protect 
all of you".

Without a warrant, there is an absolute right to privacy.  
It continues to exist right up until either (a) one party chooses 
to give up that privacy or (b) a third party arrives with a Court 
Order.  This is simply a covenant between two parties to preserve 
that "private" state unless lawfully compelled by lawful process 
otherwise.  In other words, a covenant to adhere to the rule of 
law and the courts in the event of any dispute between the parties 
or any third party.  It sure seems like a good thing to me -- and a 
covenant I would hope anyone I do business adheres to.

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