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Hacker Blackmail 4

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SF18C

SF18C

IS-IT--Management
Feb 5, 2002
187
IT
I saw this and was suprized that it worked for a few site owners:


Sounds like the guy has a beefy with the site owners. But I bet that those porn guys might get pretty mean, kinda like the mob!

SF18C
CCNA, MCSE, A+, N+ & HPCC

"Tis better to die on your feet than live on your knees!"
 
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I would say this guy is messing with the wrong crowd. After all, the folks who run these sites aren't your typical upstanding community members. Some of them probably *do* have connections to free-lance "enforcers".

There was a story a few days ago which might be related. It seems there was a DDOS attack on several sites that used high-bandwidth sites as launch-pads. While this is nothing new, the interesting twist in this series of attacks is that the launch-pads were used in rotation, in order to minimize the chances of being detected. The compromised computers would sit idle 98% of the time, and only on receipt of a remote command, would they launch attacks.

Your DSL-connected computer could be running the DDOS client right now!

Chip H.
 
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Idle threats eh ;)

While a would personally bet money that your average pr0n site is not run by the mafia but by students, I suppose there might be 1 or 2. Either way the chances of them finding them are minimal.
 
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sleipnir214,

True, I did not think of that. I suppose in a way they have it coming to them if found, although I'd rather it was the FBI/Justice System that did the locating andm punishing.
 
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Grenage,
While it would be better if the justice system tracked down the hacker, the mob does seem to do a better job of not only stopping this one incident, but preventing others from trying it.
 
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KornGeek,

I can see how that might be true (I'd rather serve a jail term than be force-fed my kneecaps) but I could never advocate that sort of behaviour. We have a legal system which negates the need for such behaviour.

But on the subject of the hackers target crowd and what the FBI's attitude may be, it should (at least in my eyes) exactly the same as if it were <topbrand.com>.
 
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DOS attacks are nasty regardless of the target domain or reason. I happen to personally dig the entire idea that there is a reward offered by the sites for a proper smackdown. That's tasty.

Owners of the sites should avoid subscribing to the &quot;shame&quot; of the domain and simply contact the FBI. Avoiding contact with the authorities because they don't think they'll be treated well because of their domains plays neatly into the antagonist's desire. Grenage's point is perfect: if this doof was threatening microsoft.com or amazon.com or whitehouse.gov, they would definitely smack him around -- because those folks have no trouble asking for help.

The idea that there's necessarily something &quot;shady&quot; or &quot;bad&quot; about the sites, or that there are &quot;mob connections&quot; doesn't really match with the folks I know who run adult sites. They're ordinary joes and ordinary janes who are trying to basically make ends meet and they don't have secret connections or agendas and they aren't running something illegal or surreptitious. There are probably a few who are doing reeeally well, most who are doing okay, and oodles who are struggling. Considering we're experiencing the highest unemployment rate in a l-o-o-o-n-g time in this country, I applaud anyone who can manage to hook some kind of income these days. Furthermore, it's not as if they're selling something we need (like electricity). Their product is pure luxury. Just like yachts, golf clubs, and cigars.

So screw shame.

Extortion and blackmail against a legal business is a crime and if I understand correctly, this is a Federal crime and a Federal crime related to IT, which means that, because people are so terrified of of such things, that this perpetrator is right up there with the Prince of Darkness. Extortion and blackmail are considerably more serious than, say, stuffing a college president ballot box... [lol]

Cheers,


[monkey] Edward [monkey]

&quot;Cut a hole in the door. Hang a flap. Criminy, why didn't I think of this earlier?!&quot; -- inventor of the cat door
 
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I am of two minds on the ethics of the response of the adult site owners.

I know logically that any action the owners take directly against the extortionist would be vigilantism, and as such is unethical and probably illegal.

I my heart, however, I can't help but hope that his guy really has run afowl of a bunch of people whose middle names are &quot;the&quot; -- you know, Vinnie the Squirrel, Mike the Shark, etc. If so, I believe we'd be looking at case of survival of the fittest in action.

Want the best answers? Ask the best questions: TANSTAAFL!!
 
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It would be fun to combine the effectiveness of vigilantism with the power of the law: offering a huge reward for conclusive evidence of this person's identity and then suing them for damages plus the amount of the reward (which I would consider an expense).

That way, a reward can be offered that exceeds the amount available at the time.

Of course, if he's just some loser with no assets but the world's largest collection of Sarah Michelle Gellar fakes, then you've got your conviction but you're out a wad of cash (although you could garnish his wages at the Stop-N-Rob, as this would be a court-ordered thing).

But I'll admit it is a nice fantasy: silly man threatens Huge Mafia Connected Business and then simply &quot;disappears&quot; one night. Neighbors swear they didn't hear a damn thing and don't ask 'em any more. [lol]

Ah, this is soooo unlike what Star Trek suggested the 21st century would be like!

Cheers,


[monkey] Edward [monkey]

&quot;Cut a hole in the door. Hang a flap. Criminy, why didn't I think of this earlier?!&quot; -- inventor of the cat door
 
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To use one of my father's oil patch aphorisms:

If you poke a bear in the ass with a stick often enough, sooner or later you're going to earn the bear's undivided attention.


Four core questions follow from this aphorism:
1. In a toe-to-toe fight between you and the bear, who will win?
2. How long is your stick?
3. How fast can you run?
4. How badly do you need to poke that bear?

I think the extortionist has not pondered these four questions to a sufficient extent.


Want the best answers? Ask the best questions: TANSTAAFL!!
 
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Sleipnir214
that last one gets a star!!!

KornGeek
Of coarse when there are two folks pokin' at that bear you ain't gotta out run the bear, you just got to out run the other guy!

Hacktivisim is just some one trying to legitimize their wrong doing!

SF18C
CCNA, MCSE, A+, N+ & HPCC

&quot;Tis better to die on your feet than live on your knees!&quot;
 
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