Before posting, read this first.

PingBad · Posted: Feb 05, 2008 1:35pm Post subject: Before posting, read this first.

IRC Abuse is not a forum in which to complain about someone from some network flooding you. If you have something constructive to say regarding a flood (such as a method to prevent/block it) then by all means post it. But if you're just going to post something along the lines of "UserXYZ from NetworkABC's #ChannelASDF came onto my network and started flooding me. Why can't you do anything about it?" then don't bother since such posts will be locked/deleted as necessary.

Consider this a formal warning.

PingBad · Posted: Mar 18, 2009 3:22pm Post subject:

Ok, there are still some people who insist on starting topics that have no substance other than to say that someone from somenet flooded/spammed them - if you have nothing to add outside of that, don't bother posting. These boards are not here for people to complain about users from other networks; you have the tools in your clients and on your networks to deal with these events internally, there's no need to create such topics.

That being said, if you are offering advice on a certain trojan/spambot and a method to prevent other admins from being affected by it (or other similair events), then by all means post it.

banshe21 · Lurker Joined: 26 Sep 2008 Posts: 162

PingBad · Posted: Mar 18, 2009 7:25pm Post subject:

technically, you're correct. However, an IRC nick is *not* globally unique (I'm aware of 3 other "PingBad"'s on the web that are not me - one of which knows me personally, and is trying to live off my reputation)

But consider: of all those types of topics that pop up, how many are actually constructive, and how many end up as a total mess of flames and petty namecalling?

Invisible · Idler Joined: 26 Jul 2005 Posts: 280

Technically, I can make up some bogus about banshe21 coming to my network and spamming, draw up some fake logs, and ruin your reputation.

Does that mean it is allowed? No.

Basically, SearchIRC is not a formal medium to report such things. IRC in general is very inconspicuous as to whether or not such things actually happened. Any log can be changed. Therefor, this forum is not the place to post such things (whether they be true or not).

banshe21 · Lurker Joined: 26 Sep 2008 Posts: 162

go ahead wreck my rep, you just be joining bang aka bang. why does he have two accounts on here Because he can -PingBad

katsklaw · Posted: Mar 21, 2009 7:10am Post subject:

Actually spam is defined as unsolicited e-mail, often of a commercial nature, sent indiscriminately to multiple mailing lists, individuals, or newsgroups; junk e-mail.

For IRC's purposes "email" can be substituted for "messages". Complaining about how a spammer/hacker is terrorizing you is *not* spamming. While it may be unwanted, it's not spam.

This is actually my worst pet peeve, when someone sees anything they do not like, it's instantly labeled as spam, and most often labeled incorrectly. There is a huge difference between "Come see me at: irc.whitehouse.gov" (which is spam) and "Has anyone else had a problem with some users spamming about irc.whitehouse.gov?" (which is NOT spam, regardless of badly how you don't want to see it). The difference is the PURPOSE of the message, not the CONTENT of the message.

That said, I don't like seeing all these people bringing network specific drama here either. However I do think that if it's formatted correctly (ie, leave the drama out), then the information can be rather useful and if we work together with it, there would be less spam on IRC.

PS: banshe21, you don't need help ruining your rep. You are a master at doing that yourself ;P~

Trixar_za · Posted: Mar 21, 2009 8:21am Post subject:

Actually, It seems the word 'spam' is taking to mean unsolicited and mass messages (rather than just e-mails) sent over an electronic medium, normally for commercial purposes. Since IRC users use mass and unsolicited 'plugs' in this nature to get people to join their network (so the Network spammed loses users, while the networked spammed about gains), I would say that it DOES count as spam.

As for what is and what isn't spam, I would ask why would a user SAY the whole address than to use the network name? Like "Does anybody see all the spam on whitehouse?" is more normal. I agree that you shouldn't ban users from saying the name of a network, just keep them from spamming it's address(es) (or making it super hard for them to). Personally I only ban addresses in my spamfilters, so users on my network can say the word 'whitehouse' but just not irc.whitehouse.gov.

Just my point of view though - use it or don't use it Wink

katsklaw · Posted: Mar 21, 2009 12:05pm Post subject:

Trixar_za · Posted: Mar 21, 2009 12:46pm Post subject:

True, but just to be clear I don't ban ALL irc addresses or web addresses, because honestly that's asking to lose users (and pretty paranoid). The Networks I block however have been either flooded in channels (or in private with users) by bots or users, who then just as quickly quit after connecting and joining. Those 'users' I think should be blocked and I don't mind losing them because I never had them to start with (since their aim was to spam another network - not to chat or stay on my network). How do I block them from flooding my channels and users? I spamfilter the network address they're advertising - it's the quickest, the most effective and protects my users from future abuse by these people. Also note that I don't ban the network name, just the address - because I want to allow our users to talk freely about IRC and also note that they can use the full address of networks not added as well. In fact we even have networks we have 'white listed' which will never be blocked.

I'm wasn't saying you shouldn't give users freedoms, actually by all means do, but don't compromise other users and your own rights (and safety) while you do so. The line between using freedoms and abusing them is a very thin line indeed - it's better to limit the abuse to protect the freedom of the many than to allow it to protect the freedom of one.

Invisible · Idler Joined: 26 Jul 2005 Posts: 280

Trixar_za · Posted: Mar 21, 2009 1:32pm Post subject:

I'll agree with that, Invisible, I'm mostly self-taught and I'll admit that there are probably other ways of doing it (majority of which I haven't even thought of or given thought to). Me personally, I was thrown in the deep end when I got my status initially, so I had to learn as I went and made up the rest. I, like many, probably take the easy route, since I never discovered or were exposed to any other way.

I will say that I'll be a willing student to anybody that's willing to teach me other methods. I want to be a great IRCop so not to cheat my users.

katsklaw · Posted: Mar 21, 2009 4:11pm Post subject:

PingBad · Posted: Mar 22, 2009 3:03am Post subject:

katsklaw · Posted: Mar 22, 2009 6:12am Post subject:

lol, actually that statement was about the definition of spam, but I'm glad it plays well with your point too as I was affraid I was getting too far off the point.

Yea, I don't think it's so much a point of using an entire address or even names and hostmasks, since that's all part of the identification process. It's always best to have too much info and sift through to the important stuff than have too little information to see a pattern developing.

The problem with using names and hostmasks is it's far too easy to violate the "naming names" rule even when used constructively as well as the privacy of all parties involved, so I understand the lack of names and hosts but I could fully support having the full spam message pasted here for other identification and pattern recognition purposes.