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North American Network Operators Group Date Prev | Date Next | Date Index | Thread Index | Author Index | Historical Re: RBL-type BGP service for known rogue networks?
[sigh... I thought this wasn't going to turn into a big debate] "Greg A. Woods" wrote: > It is critically important to also realise that "ORBS" itself doesn't > "go crazy" and do these things -- such "rogue net-block" listings are > directly a result of pressure from ORBS users. The issue isn't with ORBS, it's with Alan Brown, the administrator. Alan runs what could be a useful service, but if you don't allow him to test your systems, he adds you to a "static" list... in his defense, this is NOT a list of systems that have tested as open relays, but many people block sites on that list too, even if there is no documented spam coming from those IP's. It's ridiculous. He also doesn't stop when told not to probe people's networks. RoadRunner and AboveNet both blocked him because he refused to honor the requests to stop, and of course they both were subsequently placed on the list of untestable systems. I will offer this one data point: I welcome ORBS relay tests. I have given Alan specific, permanent permission to run the tests against my servers. Not too long ago, I had a server that I configured with Linuxconf, not realizing that Linuxconf uses an old sendmail ruleset that leaves your server open to third-party relaying. I am eternally grateful that ORBS found the server - it had been running that way for at least a year, and I thought it was closed. (We're extremely lucky no one spammed through it.) But I will not use ORBS as a spamblocking tool. > Accusing ORBS of political powerplay and vigilantism is wrong since it > is not ORBS, nor even its users, but rather the "rogue" net-block > administrators who are playing political power games. Alan's a good guy, but the "rogue" net-block administrators aren't the issue. Alan is. > e-mail). To this end an impartial and independent testing service such > as ORBS ORBS isn't always "impartial." > Finally it cannot be pointed out enough times that the administrators of > the so-called "rogue" blocks need only change their attitudes and Yeah, ok. RoadRunner isn't rogue. Neither is AboveNet. > Being irrational about public testing of public services I'm sorry. If you're doing something to my network, and I ask you not to do it, you stop. If you do not stop, I block you (and possibly complain to your service provider.) You do not have the ultimate right to determine what I do with my network. I own the network, and as the network owner, I am the one with that right. Maybe people aren't justified in asking Alan to stop. That doesn't justify Alan ignoring them. -- North Shore Technologies, Cleveland, OH http://NorthShoreTechnologies.net Steve Sobol, BOFH - President, Chief Website Architect and Janitor Pictures of two of my 'children': http://www.WrinkleDogs.com About Spamfighters: "We're not net nazis. We're dot communists." - W. Arnold
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