[Mimedefang] Lycos Screensaver that attacks Spammers

[David F. Skoll]

On Wed, 1 Dec 2004, Ian Mitchell wrote:

> I dissagree with this entirely. First off, if you are on metered
> bandwidth, then don't download the screensaver!

Many people using consumer-level PC's won't figure this out.

[...]

> This is kinda the whole concept of online advertisement. So if we increase
> the load on the targets webserver, would this not just increase the
> paycheck to the spammers?

:-) I didn't think of that!

> > 3) The potential for DoS'ing an innocent third-party is too great.

> Not if human intervention and highly intelligent systems are in place to
> create a verified list of known targets, which I believe I read somewhere
> that Lycos was suplimenting their screensaver with an "Ok to attack?"
> check with a central server similar to the SURBL discussed here.

And we all know that DNS is secure, right?  There's no possibility
that a DNS spoof could hit a site like makelovenotspam.com, for instance.

[...]

> > My anti-spam philosophy has always had as a basic principle: "First,
> > do no harm."  I don't think the Lycos screensaver adheres to this
> > principle.

> Well it would certianly be nice if the Spammers had the same philosphy.

If we are to claim moral superiority to spammers, we can't sink to
their level.  IMO, the Lycos tactic is unethical.  Vigilanteism
is never the right answer.

Regards,

David.