DalNET IRC Provider Crippled by DoS Attacks

[Phantasm66]

Anyone tried to connect to DalNET recently? Good luck. One of my favourate channels is there and sometimes I've had to start off a connection in mIRC, minimise the window and then wait for about 10 minutes before checking if a connection has been made. Sometimes one server will still be running normally. Maybe, if you are lucky. Some of the problems have been so bad that some channels have just got up and left to go to other networks.

"It is a sad fact that it has been somewhat difficult to connect to DALnet for some time. There are several reasons for this, including ongoing attacks and a loss of servers." notes the DalNET Web site

You really have to ask yourself WHY? What's the fun in this kind of attack? What exactly do you get out of it? I can understand personal revenge, but this is just the cyber equivalent of someone vandalising a bus shelter just for the sake of it.

"This assault on our servers has rendered many of them inoperable and has virtually closed DALnet to normal use. We have no information on who is behind these attacks or what they hope to gain by depriving users of our services and causing extreme inconvenience (and incurring significant cost) to our hosts," notes the DalNET Web site

Apparently, the normal average of 140,000 users has been reduced to a mere 2000. Currently the future of DalNET is in question.

More here, and here.

 

[Nodsu]

Everbody knows what kind of action goes on in DalNET. The DoS attacs are a conspiracy of anti-piracy organizations.

 

[Phantasm66]

You know, that thought did occur to me.

IRC is the last outpost of the non-commercial internet.

I can understand hackerz (or more likely scrippt kiddiots, in this case) maybe targetting the Microsoft web site, RIAA, NSA, etc....

But IRC? You would think that they would be doing everything that they could to protect that kind of thing.

Of course, DalNET is THE place to go for new movies, TV episodes, etc. So Nodsu's theory might not be so ubsurd.

Didn't some horrible bill give them the power to legally do that? http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,54153,00.html

 

[Didou]

Isn't this the type of attacks the RIAA ( & all organisations of that sort ) are trying to legalise ( only for them, of course... ) ? If it is indeed such groups that are carrying on those attacks, when will people decide that they've crossed the line ?

IRC is a part of Internet Culture. Loosing IRC would be like loosing the possibility of sending Emails or even chatting online.

 

[Vehementi]

I'd really like to know who's behind this and...why would be cool too. I don't specifically use DalNET, but losing iRC would suck big time.

Is it only me or does it sound like a message? DalNET is the biggest iRC network, after all...

 

[poertner_1274]

Well this can be any number of reasons. I have been involved in packet wars before, and most of the time it starts from one person attacking a different network, then that network attacks back. It is just an ongoing process.

But I have heard about RIAA and other organizations trying to make it legal to ddos server (IRC, FTP, etc.) This is getting out of hand.

I'm just glad I don't use DalNET.

 

[StormBringer]

If I were a betting man, I'd put up the farm and say that RIAA and MPAA are behind this.

 

[Vehementi]

Well there's no doubt in my mind it's either one of two people: a cracker getting revenge, most likely not a script kid because he probably gets his l33t h4x0r 4pp2 off DalNET, or the RIAA/MPAA or affiliated organization. This kinda stuff just blackens RI/MPAA's social standing even more. I hate them. They should all be shot. ( :haha: )