Die Spam-Krise im Netz

[abraxas_bEi_berlin.snafu.de (Michael Lang)]

Das Internet geraet momemtan wohl in seine erste ernste Krise. Die
Werbung in den Usenet-Groups und bei der Email (manche nennen sie
deshalb schon Emuell) hat in den letzten Wochen derartig zugenommen,
dass manche Provider schon ueberlegen, das Usenet ganz aus dem Programm
zu nehmen. Hier ein recht guter Text zum Thema, in dem erlaeutert wird,
warum News des Anbieters Uunet ab sofort von vielen Knoten nicht mehr
angenommen werden. Uunet weigert sich, Spammern, die ihren Muell von
Uunet aus abschicken den Account zu entziehen.
 
          <***  ml  ***>
 
From: DynaSoar_bEi__bEi_YGRI.net (Doktor DynaSoar Iridium)
Subject: UUNet UDP In Force
Date: 1 Aug 1997 21:08:59 -0400
 
Effective immediately there is a Usenet Death Penalty (UDP) imposed on
UUNet originated traffic to usenet. All traffic coming from these
sources is to be canceled until further notice. Only traffic
originating from UUnet (including Alterdial) is being targeted for
cancellation.
 
Sites that simply feed through UUnet will not have their traffic
cancelled. However, at least one site has already chosen to shun UUnet
completely, and other sites may choose to follow suit. Any site that
shuns UUnet will not receive posts from UUnet downstream sites either.
If the situation is not resolved quickly, it will be advisable for any
site currently exchanging news with UUnet to find alternative outgoing
feeds.
 
There are very few usenet newsgroups that aren't complaining about
the accelerating rate at which spam is filling their groups. Those
groups not complaining are already nothing but spam. Their users have
abandoned them as unusable.
 
In order to counter this situation, several concerned system
administrators and users have been attempting to stem the flood by
issuing cancel messages. This has met with some success. However the
problem is becoming so bad that even the volume of cancels has become
a concern.
 
More success has been had by working with the ISP's from which much of
this spam issues. Some are dedicated spam factories and will not
respond. Some are responsible ISP's who've found themselves with a
problem, and generally they have acted to stop it. Some more quickly
than others, but until now all have made an effort and shown
improvement.
 
In the last few weeks, the number of spams canceled has exceeded 1
million per week. Consistently, one third to one half of this has come
from UUNet. News users and site administrators throughout the world
have besieged UUNet with complaints, but to date these complaints have
been not been addressed in any way.  While other ISP's have put forth
efforts to provide to their users and users all over the net with a
relatively clean and spam free feed, UUNet persists in non-action.
Spammers are now flocking to UUNet because they know complaints are
ignored.
 
If the complaints from all across the net are ignored, then it's only
fair that UUNet be ignored all across the net. All traffic originating
from UUNet will be canceled until they show a substantial improvement
in reducing the amount of spam from their system.
 
This action is being taken by several people simultaneously. Their
purpose is only to reduce the enormous drain on the bandwidth of the
net caused by spam. If there were a significant proportion of
legitimate traffic coming from these sites, this action would not
likely have occurred.
 
This decision was not reached lightly. These people are well aware of
the serious nature of this undertaking. They have absolutely no
intention of gaining anything from this other than to preserve usenet
from the weight of the spam which not only annoys and drives off
users, but literally threatens to ruin the net. Already some systems
have suffered breakdowns due to this spam traffic. Others are planning
to leave usenet and start a closed network which will not allow spam.
 
In order to preserve the integrity of the net, and for no other
purpose, this UDP is hereby imposed on UUNet effective immediately.
 
Further information concerning this decision, and reports of spams
counted and cancels issued, can be found on
news.admin.net-abuse.usenet. Also available there are references to
the FAQs and other documents used by the people who operate the
systems that comprise usenet to maintain its operation.
 
--
Unit 4, SubGenius Police, Usenet Tactical Units, Mobile (SPUTUM)
SubGenius Tactical Online Message Poster (STOMP) Squadron
This *IS* the Public Relations Department. Got a problem with that?
"Give me a fast modem, for I intend to go in harm's way."