Screensaver tackles spam websites

Noobie_2

Net users are getting the chance to fight back against spam websites.

Internet portal Lycos has made a screensaver that endlessly requests data from sites that sell the goods and services mentioned in spam e-mail.

Lycos hopes it will make the monthly bandwidth bills of spammers soar by keeping their servers running flat out.

The net firm estimates that if enough people sign up and download the tool, spammers could end up paying to send out terabytes of data.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4051553.stm

BigAl94

Whilst the idea has merit, seems if there was massive uptake, there could be a serious effect on bandwith usage http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/11/26/lycos_europe_spam_blitz/

student100

Yeah...this would also use up your ISP's bandwidth which I don't think they'd be too happy about. Effectively what the thing does is a large distributed Denial of Service attack - the same sort of thing that in the past has brought sites such as Amazon and Yahoo! to their knees (when they have been the subject of a DDoS attack from virus-infected PCs). Such attacks could actually be illegal. They're certainly not going to help reduce one of the main problems of spam - namely the increased amounts of traffic on the internet generally, which someone has to pay for.

Noobie_2

Pity.  A DDOS on spammers (even if it was judged to be one) wouldn't leave me wrestling with my conscience, but if it screws things up for everyone else it's hardly much use.  Apparently it's being trialled in Sweden and they've had 20,000 downloads in four days - guess we can but wait and see.

LincsLad_3

Lycos (if indeed it is them who have released this 'application') should know better and could well be facing lawsuits for their actions.

Surely the net effect [no pun intended ::)] of this program will be the reverse of that intended and will just slow the Internet to a crawl.

Perhaps the link in the posts above should be removed, lest it be deemed that MSE is supporting such a DDOS attack?? :-/

Noobie_2

Hey, LincsLad, yup, it would SEEM that it MAY have the opposite of the effect intended - maybe the trial in Sweden will show us something.

Had a quick count and found three links - two are to respectable news organisations reporting the news, one is to a site which simply gives an explanation of what a DDOS is.

My original post contained no personal opinion either way, only excerpts from the BBC.  My second post did contain a PERSONAL opinion and I stick by that.  

Part of my intent was to get opinions and information from others - I've got that, and thanks to ALL who have replied.  Not saying I'll take part, but it wouldn't break my heart if others did - only if it screwed up the net in the process. Which is why I wanted to get some publicised feedback - there's no point in anyone doing it if it has a detrimental effect on the net.

(And, good or bad, I'm not totally convinced it would be classified as a DDOS attack).

cloud_dog

To be honest I think this is one of those situations where you need to consider at what point is/does spam become a serious problem.

If you reach the conclusion that it is a serious problem then you need to do something about it.  The 'fighting back' may be slightly more painful than living with the status quo but if in the long term spam becomes less of a problem then the pain will be worth it.

To be honest it doesn't really affect me, infsofar as any websites I register with I use a throwaway hotmail address - leaving my domain e-mail for family / friends, etc.  But the amount of spam I get in these hotmail addresses is huge.

cloud_dog

Noobie_2

A plan to bump up the bandwidth bills of spammers seems to be getting out of control.

Earlier this week Lycos Europe released a screensaver that bombards spam websites with data to try to increase the cost of running such sites.

But analysis shows that, in some cases, spam websites are being completely overwhelmed by the traffic being directed their way.

The Lycos plan has also come under fire for encouraging vigilantism.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4061375.stm

monomer

This is an interesting read:

When DOSsers DOS DOSers - Lycos’ “Make Love Not Spam” ScreenSaver Site Is Latest Victim

Noobie_2

… the company has denied reports that the "Make love not spam" website was hacked earlier this week.

Some users of the site claimed to have got back a message that said: "Yes, attacking spammers is wrong. You know this, you shouldn't be doing it. Your IP address and request have been logged and will be reported to your ISP for further action."

Lycos said the supposed defacement of the site was a hoax. It added that its campaign must be having an effect if spammers were adopting such tactics.


Seems the spammers are saying they have a right to spam (and no-one should try to stop them).

Friendly little debate going on here:
http://www.broadbandreports.com/shownews/57249

monomer

According to Netcraft, Lycos Europe has removed their screensaver, “Make Love Not Spam", and now when you go to the site it simply displays a cute little graphic which says “Stay Tuned".

Didn't last very long, did it? :P