DDoS attacks

Thu Jul 12 03:22:40 UTC 2001

On Wed, 11 Jul 2001, Timothy Brown wrote:

> > before!  I can't BELIEVE that an IRC server has attracted the attention of
> > a script kiddie!
> 
> I cannot believe the attitudes I am seeing on NANOG over this event.

Really?  Strange.  I can.  And just so nobody is mistaken, 100% of my
sarcasm resulted in some IRC person whining to the NANOG list VS
contacting the NOCs of networks in question directly.

> Your comments do not help this situation whatsoever; if you do not like IRC,
> feel free to rant in your own private forums rather than on a list for
> network operators.

My comments helped me substantially.  I feel MUCH better!  If they want to
whine about their IRC network being DDoS'd, they should do it on their IRC
network and NOT on the North American Network Operators Group mailing
list.  OOPS!  I almost forgot.  They're being DDoS'd.  They probably can't
even log onto their IRC servers.  Too bad.  Maybe they'll use this as an
excuse to perhaps expose themselfs to fresh air (as in OUTSIDE THEIR
HOMES.)  We can only hope.

> No matter what you may think about IRC, or EFNet in particular, it should
> be accorded at least your professional courtesy.  IRC (EFNet) has been

Excuse me?  I'm not condoning ANY attack.  If they MUST attack something,
I'd rather it be IRC then anything else I can think of.

> around a very long time.  You probably would not define it as a "critical"
> Internet service, but it has served many people in several different types
> of situations - everything from natural disaster to personal distress.

I'm going to be sick.  Granted, it's "nifty" that someone used an
otherwise (IMHO) useless waste of bandwidth to summon help.  Just think of
how much more efficient it would have been for them to hang up the
friggin' modem and dial 911.  (And don't bother trying to argue that E911
service isn't a world-wide service.  If they can master IRC, services,
bots, blah, they can manage to summon help via conventional means as
well!)

> It is as real a service provided on the Internet as the Web or anonymous
> FTP sites.

OK.  If you say so.  (Bwahahahahah!)

>  DDoS attacks affect us all - and his call for assistance reflects the
> danger to the providers of IRC servers as much as anything else.

Hrm.  The last time I checked, running through S. Central LA screaming
racist slogans would summon the attention of people who wanted to attack
you.  When you do it, and get attacked, I don't know very many people who
would feel even the slightest bit sorry for you.

Running an IRCd is not any better.  It's BEGGING to be attacked.  I don't
feel the slightest bit sorry for you.

Again, I don't condone the attacks in either case.  I do understand the
cause and effect relationship though.

> If you do not define EFNet as critical, that is one thing.  But the attacks
> on one IRC network could grow to encompass any other IRC network, or any other
> service on the Internet.  

I don't define *ANY* IRC network as critical.

> I'm reiterating the obvious here, since you do not seem to possess
> enough clue to get it yourself.  The times, they are a'changin'.  

You're funny.

> You cannot simply ignore DDoS attacks based on the fact they are targeting
> EFNet.    Attacks on EFNet (and any other Internet service of similar ilk)
> are attacks, by extension, on the providers of Internet service at large
> and of the very business model we attempt to make money on (some of us are
> succeeding) - people want services that you do not offer, so they use you to
> get there, but they will still call you if they do not work.

I have NEVER gotten a SINGLE complaint from a SINGLE lUSER who couldn't
get to an IRC network.  I don't anticipate it happening any time soon.

> 
> I'm getting windy here, but I think you get the idea.
> 

I got the idea that you were windy in your first parahraph.

> T

"I pitty the fool!"

---
John Fraizer
EnterZone, Inc