Topic: The Spammer Strikes Back

[The Bar-Abbas Anomaly]

There's quite a bit of marketing in this (it is, after all, a press release from the Anti-Spam site itself...) but it's pretty interesting what goes on in Cyberspace....


http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20060504006094&newsLang=en

May 04, 2006 03:40 PM US Eastern Timezone
Internet under Attack by Renegade Spammer; Blue Security Responds; Blue Security Identifies ``PharmaMaster'' as the Illegal Spammer Who is Threatening the Internet to Keep His Spam Business Running
MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 4, 2006--Blue Security, Inc., developers of the Do Not Intrude Registry(TM) solution to eliminate unsolicited e-mail spam, responded today to the latest attempts from a renegade spammer who is trying to stop Internet users from opting out of receiving his spam. "PharmaMaster", one of the world's leading spammers, is the culprit who is holding the entire Internet hostage to stop the Blue Community and keep his spam business running.


Eran Reshef, CEO of Blue Security, said, "Six out of the top 10 spammers worldwide have stopped sending spam to the Blue community recently; as such, PharmaMaster is determined to prevent this change in the spam economy. After a barrage of threatening letters this week that only made the Blue community stronger, PharmaMaster resorted to sophisticated attacks on Blue Security."

Reshef continued, "The attacks started with a strike on the Internet backbone itself, causing the Blue Web site to become inaccessible to visitors outside Israel, while remaining available for Israeli visitors. How exactly this attack was carried out is still unresolved, but what is clear is that PharmaMaster boasted that it was he who was able to make a top-tier ISP's staff member to block Blue Security's former IP address (194.90.8.20) at the backbone routers."

In PharmaMaster's words (taken from ICQ sessions where PharmaMaster contacted Blue Security): 'Support (top-tier ISP's name withheld) says: Yes wont be a problem, I'll make sure to block all traffic to this domain very soon just get me reports, mate.'

Reshef continued, "Thirty minutes after Blue closed its Israeli site and posted a note on its blog site, PharmaMaster ruthlessly ordered a massive, sophisticated DDoS attack against any site associated with Blue. This attack caused five top-tier hosting providers in the U.S. and Canada, a major DNS provider and a popular blog site to go down for several hours."

PharmaMaster summarized the situation (excerpt from ICQ session): "you know Ii feel sorry for you and all the world 9000 servers (which) are down :-)"

According to Reshef, PharmaMaster also told Blue Security that if he can't send spam, there will be no Internet. He also said that he will do whatever it takes to continue his fight but acknowledged the power of the Blue Community.

PharmaMaster (excerpt from ICQ session): "Blue found the right solution to stop spam, and I can't let this continue."

Blue Security is working hard to restore its community-based anti-spam service to its members, and has already started contacting the relevant authorities. Blue Security is working closely with its service providers and partners to help resolve the problems and mitigate risk.

Blue Security is calling upon its members and supporters worldwide to help the community to win the fight against the criminals who wish to control the Internet. Community members and Internet users can assist by making the information published by Blue Security available on their Web sites and help more people know about the community's effort to reclaim the Internet from the hands of cyber criminals.

About Blue Security, Inc.

Blue Security was established in 2004 by seasoned entrepreneurs Eran Reshef and Amir Hirsh to provide a viable solution for eliminating spam and spyware. The company's grassroots approach, the Do Not Intrude Registry, empowers members to securely and automatically request that spammers remove them from their lists. The opt-out action encourages spammers to conduct business elsewhere while defending the rights of registered members.

[Just plain old Punisher]

If this isn't a good reason for an airstrike, I don't know what is.

[The Bar-Abbas Anomaly]

 

I propose we employ the 'Punisher Doctrine'....

[Nemesis]

If this isn't a good reason for an airstrike, I don't know what is.

Just one question.  Which side is paying you for the air strike?

[Just plain old Punisher]

If this isn't a good reason for an airstrike, I don't know what is.

Just one question.  Which side is paying you for the air strike?

Good question, and a very good reason not to be the lowest bidder, correct? =)

[Just plain old Punisher]

I propose we employ the 'Punisher Doctrine'....

The "Punisher Doctrine" comes with your choice of either napalm, or nerve toxin.

Or you can go for "the special", low-yield nuclear warhead. It's very popular with our middle eastern clients.