Re: [cobalt-security] Spam from this list

["Mark Baker - Cobalt Lists" <cobalt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Want to tell us who it was or the company?

I think it would be a good example of why NOT to spam! a worthwhile lesson
to learn really!

Regards,

Mark Baker
Dark Marketing Ltd
http://www.yoursitehere.co.uk

Reply e-mail: mark@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
----- Original Message -----
From: Chris Weiss <chris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <cobalt-security@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, September 22, 2000 2:22 AM
Subject: RE: [cobalt-security] Spam from this list


> I just received notice from the spammer's ISP.  His services have been
> suspended, and the ISP is looking into filing charges against him in the
UK.
>
> Guess I didn't waste my time, but I probably should have just sent out a
> complaint and not embellished.
>
>
> Snip from e-mail I received:
>
> -------------------------------------------------
>
> This users account was suspended over 12 hours ago and
> will not be allowed access to our services again.  We found
> his behaviour to be more than offensive and are looking to
> take steps under UK law.  In our opinion he is in essence
> attempting to extort money from people and doing it in an
> extremely distasteful manner.
>
> Please be aware that we do take these matters seriously and
> always take the fullest action we can against offenders.
>
> Regards Support
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: cobalt-security-admin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:cobalt-security-admin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Mike King
> Sent: Thursday, September 21, 2000 9:51 PM
> To: cobalt-security@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: RE: [cobalt-security] Spam from this list
>
>
> Chris,
>
> Fantastic joke :-)
> I am falling out of my chair with laughter !   :-)   :->   :+)
>
> But seriously:
>
> Your strategy in dealing with this spammer ended up backfiring on you -
all
> you have done is embarrassed yourself publicly. I suppose you were smart
> enough not to name names, which will probably save you from litigation.
>
> I doubt whether any spammer would be deterred by someone like you 'being
> aware of their activity'. Unless you can substantiate your claims and pass
> this on to someone who has the necessary legal 'teeth', then I feel that
> you are wasting your time.
>
>
> Mike
>
> At 18:27 21/09/2000 -0400, you wrote:
> >Finally... someone with a sense of humor.  This is the security list?
Did
> >anyone other than Graeme get the irony of a break in against a
participant
> >of this list???  I did nothing other than trace the machine to find out
> >where the site was hosted and who sent the spam.
> >
> >Sorry for my poor attempt at humor.  I have spent years fending off
> hackers,
> >and I have never engaged in these activities except against test machines
> >for the purpose of hardening the OS and user applications.
> >
> >The person who spammed me has a porno site hosted in the UK and with a
> >domain name registered out of Australia.  However, he has accomplices in
> the
> >US that run a 900 service, so tracking this individual or group will be
> >difficult.  As far as I can tell, this spammer is running yet another
scam
> >site trying to get you to call 900 numbers to disenroll from a porno
e-mail
> >list.  In case you aren't familiar with this scam, a spammer sends
raunchy
> >messages to hopefully your work email address.  The only way to stop it
is
> >to call a 900 service to remove yourself from the list.  The scammer then
> >pads the 900 charges, knowing you are unlikely to complain.  The really
> >nasty ones ask for a credit card number as well before your call can go
> >through.    There are no charges I could file unless I participated in
this
> >obvious fraud.
> >
> >I have complained to the spammer's ISP.  In many cases, I have
successfully
> >stopped spam by shutting down the spammer's web site and/or e-mail
account
> >by notifying the ISP.  So far, this person's ISP has not responded.  I
have
> >found European and Asian ISPs to be very uncooperative with respect to
> spam.
> >
> >I *did* not break into any machine. I did the following:
> >
> >Ran traceroute, ping, and nslookup to narrow hostnames, services, ip
> >addresses, etc.
> >Checked out registered domain names.
> >Sent mail to postmaster@<naughtyhost>.com to see who replied.
> >Attempted to Telnet so I could see what OS and kernel were on the other
> end.
> >Tried to FTP to see what was available through anonymous FTP.
> >Tried some admin URLs to confirm that the host was a Cobalt Raq 3.
> >Performed a few web searches to look for more info.
> >I did find a person on this list with a domain that traced back to the
same
> >host.  However, I don't want to reveal who it is unless I can prove this
> >person is the culprit.  I sent an e-mail to this individual, and have not
> >heard back.
> >
> >I did nothing illegal!!!!
> >
> >Again, please accept my apologies.
> >
> >Chris
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: cobalt-security-admin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >[mailto:cobalt-security-admin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Graeme Fowler
> >Sent: Thursday, September 21, 2000 5:47 PM
> >To: cobalt-security@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >Subject: RE: [cobalt-security] Spam from this list
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >On Thu, 21 Sep 2000, Richard Emerson quoted Chris Weiss:
> >>   I have identified one offender, and I have broken into your server to
> >look
> >> around.
> >
> >Is it just me or has everyone had a sense-of-humour failure? I reckon
> >Chris was being just a teensy bit ironic with his statement... weren't
> >you? ;-)
> >
> >Graeme
> >
> >
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >cobalt-security mailing list
> >cobalt-security@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >http://list.cobalt.com/mailman/listinfo/cobalt-security
> >
> >
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >cobalt-security mailing list
> >cobalt-security@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >http://list.cobalt.com/mailman/listinfo/cobalt-security
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> cobalt-security mailing list
> cobalt-security@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> http://list.cobalt.com/mailman/listinfo/cobalt-security
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> cobalt-security mailing list
> cobalt-security@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> http://list.cobalt.com/mailman/listinfo/cobalt-security