12 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

IslandNet, a service and web hosting provider for many individuals and businesses in our region, is under attack by a group that has claimed its opposition one of IslandNet's customers.

Today IslandNet capitulated and appears to be taking steps to shut down the account of the customer in question in order to restore services to its network.

Crazy stuff.

There is nothing on their website, although one of their customers posted to his blog a memo IslandNet has distributed:

UPDATE 3:12pm: we have been contacted by a group claiming to be behind the attacks. They identify the target (a customer of ours) and demand that the site in question be shut down or the attacks will continue. As much as I hate to capitulate, we can’t afford to stand up for the rights of one customer at the expense of all the others, so the site has been shut down.”

http://coffee.bc.ca/...et-under-attack

[VicHockeyFan]

Hmmm, this was the cause of problems with the CFAX website and also the Monk Office Supply website that I use often to upload print jobs.

What customer were they protesting, any idea?

In some jurisdictions, there would be severe consequences for the hacker.

[sebberry]

In some jurisdictions, there would be severe consequences for the hacker.

Hopefully Islandnet publicly humiliates them.

[Sparky]

^^ One of the owners of Islandnet said it was a wildlife website that was not controversial.

[VicHockeyFan]

TC story.

5000 websites. That's impressive.

[LJ]

That is just extortion, plain and simple.

And an egregious thwarting of other peoples rights.

[Sparky]

Although I heard the owner on A news say that the website that was the reason for all this was a wildlfe website, the Times Colonist today wrote that the website was involved with family matters. I do not know what story is correct.

The TC also stated that Islandnet was the first internet provider in Victoria. I think that "Freenet" was the first provider. I can remember going to the Library for access, then they offered dial up. Anyone remember which is true?

[Ms. B. Havin]

Not sure it's wildlife. Here's another source:

The website referred to in the email was started in October 2008 and was a blog from a Vancouver man detailing legal battles over child custody, Morley said.
He would not be more specific but said some of content was “quite inflammatory.”
The blogger had not posted anything in more than a month.
“I’m all for freedom of speech, but I can’t justify standing up for one customer’s rights at the expense of all my other customers rights,” he said of his decision to take down the site.

http://www.singlenam...er-cyber-attack

It's extortion, what the DDOSers did. Getting easier all the time, too. You can buy these "services"...

[http]

Not sure it's wildlife. Here's another source:

“I’m all for freedom of speech, but I can’t justify standing up for one customer’s rights at the expense of all my other customers rights,” he said of his decision to take down the site.[ snip ]

"Sure, I'll let my paying customers exercise their rights. Unless it's inconvenient for me." While I can understand wanting to make the problem go away post haste, the reasoning behind the solution taken isn't based on rights. As a general rule, rights denied without sanctions aren't rights, merely privileges extended and retracted.

[Baro]

My company was hit by this as well, and outside of this issue we've found their email service to be extremely awful and will most likely finally get rid of them soon.

[Rob Randall]

Another DDoS attack has been going on for a day now. Several political candidates are affected, including mayoral hopefuls Scott Attrill and Lisa Helps. 

 

 

 

Yesterday was the worst day for the DDoS attacks that we've seen. We know how frustrating it is for our customers, and it's many times more frustrating for us as a company. It is even more frustrating and stressful for me personally. I started this company in 1992 and have done my best to grow it into a friendly, respectable, and quality service. I take these attacks very personally.

It's possible that it's related to the fact that it was Guy Fawkes day as explained in this article: DDoS Explosion Imminent for Guy Fawkes Day

In any case, we are working hard to stop this:

We've ordered a bigger faster "pipe" to the internet that is 10 times larger than what we currently have. This is no small expense but it will be worth it if it allows us to better absorb attacks (although even the likes of VISA, Amazon, and even Google have been taken offline in the past by similar attacks, so it depends on how big it really is).

 

 

 

We've been in touch with the RCMP. Although there's not a lot they can do we are providing them with evidence that *may* point to a particular ex-customer located here in Victoria that has made threats in the past. We can't say for sure if this individual is involved, but there's a lot of circumstantial evidence.

[AllseeingEye]

Another DDoS attack has been going on for a day now. Several political candidates are affected, including mayoral hopefuls Scott Attrill and Lisa Helps. 

Its affecting much more than a few local electoral candidates unfortunately; it is also still as of 10:30pm preventing our Inter+national Enterprise and Service Provider customers from accessing our website for Support. We have been after IslandNet for years to upgrade their security. Ironically they are now set to go direct to the very vendor who we've been partners with since 2009 - as a consequence that direct-to-manufacturer solution will cost them plenty more. Crazy.

[spanky123]

I am all for doing business locally but it is amazing that after 22 years in business Islandnet didn't appear to have a plan in place to handle this.