Pay the ransom, Don't pay the ransom

Buzzsaw · Sep 23, 2003

My support for not paying the ransom is fading. Too many Joe Sixpacks are getting hurt and worried over this.

Its great for business because they stumble over these type of sites trying to figure out if they have been fleeced and if the book is gone forever.

I admire the books that have stood up to the hackers but I want to see these dam sites back up. Just get the sites back up.

TheGeneral+ · Sep 23, 2003

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR> My support for not paying the ransom is fading. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Buzz, you would give into such? What do you do next month? Do you give again?

PanchoSanza · Sep 23, 2003

Whats to say they won't ask for more down the road?

I would pay it then show up the next day with a jack hammer.

Besides, I haven't been in a godd fight since I was 15 and am itching to throw down.

CowboyBill · Sep 23, 2003

When books lose "Joe Sixpacks" they will soon have to close or completly change their business model.

Kiss1 · Sep 23, 2003

I just requested a payout from Rio to my Neteller. I plan on putting the funds back in after the problems are cleared up. This is MY OWN TEST to see how quickly the book responds and does not give me a run around or break out a crying towel. I don't like doing business over the phone and there problems sure as hell should not be mine.

CowboyBill · Sep 23, 2003

kiss1, you made a wise move, no need to risk your money. Books that cannot take internet bets are being hurt badly. I would stay far away from them.

Buzzsaw · Sep 23, 2003

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR> Buzz, you would give into such? What do you do next month? Do you give again? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>I would think the books could implement safaguards to prevent future attacks. A month should be long enough to figure out how to prevent future attacks.

How long do you think they can be down without risking their business? I think the risk level is shifting to critical.

TTinCO · Sep 23, 2003

NO WAY you pay....Never, ever, ever.

What you do is get yourself about 5 highly skilled network guys & spend the $150 an hour that each of them will cost you.

There's no reason that these clowns should have lasted this long. None whatsoever.

PanchoSanza · Sep 23, 2003

A dozen louisville sluggers and some ballpeen hammers are cheaper than paying the $30k ransom.

Hire the best techies out there to find these guys, once they are caught they wont try it again.

ballsofblue · Sep 23, 2003

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>Originally posted by TTinCO:

There's no reason that these clowns should have lasted this long. None whatsoever.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

obviously they're not clowns. personally i would not pay but these people arn't novices

Guest · Sep 23, 2003

TTinco is 100 percent right. What guarantee do you have that these scammers don't turn around in a week or two and do it again? Because they say they won't? And by paying them what has the book done to protect themselves from future attacks?

Get some network consultants or a firm to do a network survey and figure out the best way to protect yourself. No one is immune to these attacks but you can do things to make yourselves less susceptible! Good luck and to the books that did NOT pay: THANK YOU for not giving in to these criminals.

eh · Sep 23, 2003

go back to your hole buzznuts.

The guys down here are working as fast as they can but it is not in their total control.

To stop this shit requires the co-operation of the isps. You ever had to deal with a tico tech support department?? Do you see CRIS down?? I wonder why, props to DIGITAL SOLUTIONS.

For about 40 to 50 dimes the isps can protect their clients from such attacks with equipment that needs to be placed upstream in the provider chain. You think RACSA wants to buck up for that kind of hardware??

Stop pickin on the books, they are doing a hell of a job.

TTinCO · Sep 23, 2003

Don't be so sure of that Balls. Here's a great read on how a 13 yr old pulled off something somewhat similar. http://grc.com/dos/grcdos.htm

Buzzsaw · Sep 23, 2003

I leave the tech talk to those who know because I clearly don't.

But if what was reported is true, both Pinnacle and WWTS paid and had their sites right back up.

I'm not saying pay but these sites can't just stay down. Get them up whatever it takes. Standing on principal is noble but confidence in ALL offshores is starting to crack.

Pretty soon, standing on principal is going to do more damage than its noble cause is worth.

TheGeneral+ · Sep 23, 2003

What do you do next month? Do you give again?

Amitightornot · Sep 23, 2003

maybe they should consider hiring the guy who wrote this article:
http://grc.com/dos/grcdos.htm

Amitightornot · Sep 23, 2003

If you guys understand how distributed DOS works you will realize these hackers have x number of agents(PCs) all over the world that they use for this kind of activity. Probably very soon they realize its in their best ineterest to give up and go after other books such as WSEX, CRIS, Carib, .... OR they have to keep increasing their agents

bigboydan · Sep 23, 2003

ok, lets say these books pay this ransom like the general said just above what happens next month and the next month after than personaly i know what i'd do but these books won't do that because they don't have the knowhow to do it

TTinCO · Sep 23, 2003

AIT, don't underestimate the possibility that this is a small scale virus. Some type of trojan horse which many people could be unknowingly hosting.

It's pretty scary what you can do to someone's computer just by them opening an HTML email with malicious code. You don't have to necessarily open an attachment anymore.

Where's Java-this is probably his area.

DarrylParsons · Sep 23, 2003

Of course you don't pay the motherfvckers. It's a matter of principle. If you pay them you are sending the message to the world that extortion is a good way to make a living and you are giving a great incentive to others to get into the trade. You will then be an accomplice to the next extortion because you gave funding and encouragement to the perpetrators.

Life is much longer than the few days or weeks of down time that such a thing will cause. You have to rise above it all and look at the big picture. There has to be another way. Paying the ransom is out of the question.