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Surgical Strike Eliminates 75% of Spam Email Worldwide With Single ISP Shutdown
Posted by John Mahoney at 12:40 AM on November 14, 2008
An office tower in downtown San Jose, California has long served as home to McColo--a hosting company whose servers in turn have quietly served as a conduit to a huge majority of the world's spam email, scam prescription drug markets and child porn sites. After investigations by the Washington Post's Security Fix blog identified McColo as supreme baddies and shut them down, web security firms saw spam volumes drop almost instantly by up to 75%.
The chart here was sent to the Post by a German hosting facility manager, showing spam's immediate decline after McColo's shutdown (Security Fix has several more charts from security organisations and individuals showing the same thing). It's fun to consider the trickle down effects here--just think of the saved CPU cycles on webmail hosts worldwide who suddenly had 70% less U.S. spam to crunch on, and the energy savings resulting?
Last time this happened, when a similar northern California spam ISP called the "Atrivo" network was busted, it only took spammers a few days to get back to their old ways on another network. So, be sure to revel fully in a world free of Viagra deals, Kenyan wire transfer offers and content sharing proposals from personal lubrication sites (Mark's claim to wealth) while you can. [Washington Post, Security Fix]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
Andrew L in NZ
Posted November 14, 2008 1:50 PM
Excellent news! .. and I hope they all ended up in prison as well. There should be government sponsored rewards for busting these assholes !!!
orappa
Posted 3:29 AM 14/11/08
i even get spam in my regular mail too..
orappa
orappa
Posted 3:28 AM 14/11/08
@92BuickLeSabre: yes it sounds good idea maybe justget one of the known spammers to send this mail??
yes sir
orappa
darthuv
Posted 3:28 AM 14/11/08
No way San Jose! Yet another reason why I claim Southern California as my birth place and not California.
darthuv
orappa
Posted 3:25 AM 14/11/08
@geiko: next number
orappa
darthuv
Posted 3:25 AM 14/11/08
@lilaliendog: n+1
darthuv
icelight
Posted 3:22 AM 14/11/08
@fargi: The hosting company was very much complicit with what was going on. From reading the article itself, this was a company that relied on its illegal clients, and in fact profited from a reputation for protecting them.
icelight
sharkync
Posted 3:19 AM 14/11/08
Don't know what all the fuss is...
The U.S. Post Office LOVES spam
in fact they give the spammers a special
bulk rate discount.
sharkync
92BuickLeSabre
Posted 3:19 AM 14/11/08
But these were the only friends I had.... :~(
92BuickLeSabre
92BuickLeSabre
Posted 3:18 AM 14/11/08
@Herman: Hello Good Sir. I am willing to work on this idea!
All I need from you is a little start-up money!
Please provide me your full name, SS$, bank accounts, mother's maiden name, place of birth, the name of your first pet.
92BuickLeSabre
ninjamurf
Posted 3:11 AM 14/11/08
@Serolf Divad: Except that the US is WHERE you'd expect this to happen. All those "freedoms" and silly things we keep talking about.
ninjamurf
Mayor McRib
Posted 3:10 AM 14/11/08
@Herman:
So my inbox will be double filled with Spam and Anti-Spam?
Your ideas intrigue me...
Mayor McRib
Git Em SteveDave loves this guy-->
Posted 3:08 AM 14/11/08
@Herman: I agree. Let's start an email telling everyone not to open emails! We need a hook though. How about we tell them to open the email by saying they are getting money? :)
Git Em SteveDave loves this guy-->
likefry_likefry
Posted 3:03 AM 14/11/08
hopefully it will take more than a few days for these spammers to recuperate/relocate.
likefry_likefry
lilaliendog
Posted 3:01 AM 14/11/08
@LocustWhored: the next numbered number in the number line
lilaliendog
Herman
Posted 3:00 AM 14/11/08
If we all make sure no one clicks on any spam message whatsoever, these people will make no more profit and they will all close down, making the world spam free.
To achieve this we need to communicatie this message to everyone. I think email would be ideal for this, because spam is sent by email as well.
So someone should come up with a plan to send billions and billions of emails to make sure every person in the world knows they should ignore spam.
God I am so smart.
Herman
LocustWhored
Posted 2:58 AM 14/11/08
@geiko: Forthed
LocustWhored
Crescent
Posted 2:56 AM 14/11/08
@Serolf Divad: seconded
Crescent
ConfuciusMax
Posted 2:55 AM 14/11/08
@geiko: Thirded
ConfuciusMax
Iron Man Underoos
Posted 2:55 AM 14/11/08
Maybe in 20 years a politician will run on an anti-spam platform.
Iron Man Underoos
fargi
Posted 2:55 AM 14/11/08
I thought those spammers would be difficult to find because hosted in various exotic countries... but no... there they are: just down the street.
And don't tell me the hosting company didn't know what was happening. How can you miss that: 70% of the world spam???
fargi
Serolf Divad
Posted 2:53 AM 14/11/08
Sounds like responsible ISPs need to be more proactive and refuse to route traffic from known Spam havens. The Feds aren't doing much, and if this sort of operation can thrive in the USA of all places, then the authorities clearly don't care enough to do anything about it.
Serolf Divad
jrghoull
Posted 2:51 AM 14/11/08
i'd consider a permenent 10% drop in spam a bigger thing than a 75% drop that will only last a couple of days at the most.
jrghoull
Skiphex
Posted 2:50 AM 14/11/08
I think it's funny all that garbage had the same IPS, I wonder how they all were attracted to that location.
Skiphex
CooperDToo
Posted 2:47 AM 14/11/08
@geiko: Seconded...
CooperDToo
geiko
Posted 2:45 AM 14/11/08
I think I speak for most when I say "god damn!"
geiko
General Halfshaftery
Posted 3:53 AM 14/11/08
But will you CC my heart?
...as an aside untold thousdand weren't able to comment on Gawker Media stories since yesterday evening, while many of you still could. It was very upsetting!! lol
It's nice to be back among the living...
General Halfshaftery
TBM-Fan
Posted 3:52 AM 14/11/08
Wholy shit if they knew who did it then why not send them to a rehabilitation camp?
TBM-Fan
bobojuice
Posted 3:52 AM 14/11/08
@geiko: paper airplane
bobojuice
getabetterpic
Posted 3:51 AM 14/11/08
@Herman: Brilliant!!!
getabetterpic
Munch the BanNail
Posted 3:50 AM 14/11/08
@geiko: Close, but I was thinking more along the lines of "Hot Damn!"
Munch the BanNail
mpar
Posted 3:49 AM 14/11/08
@Herman: hahahaha
mpar
getabetterpic
Posted 3:49 AM 14/11/08
@ninjamurf: Yeah, freedom letting us be free. Whodathunk?
getabetterpic
moose_knuckle
Posted 3:46 AM 14/11/08
wow, in my own back yard!
moose_knuckle
Rollo Tony
Posted 3:41 AM 14/11/08
@geiko: Banana
Rollo Tony
SkyLab
Posted 4:17 AM 14/11/08
@geiko: n + 6
SkyLab
OtisCabeal
Posted 4:17 AM 14/11/08
Too bad they dont have a pill to increase the size of thier 'legal budget'
OtisCabeal
berbar
Posted 4:07 AM 14/11/08
I was wondering why I didn't get so much spam as I'm used to today. Fantastic!
berbar
geiko
Posted 4:43 AM 14/11/08
@T-Will: You, good sire, get +1!
geiko
whootowl
Posted 4:42 AM 14/11/08
Or maybe spam has fallen off just because the election is over?
whootowl
FatTony925
Posted 4:41 AM 14/11/08
@darthuv:
So you like be associated with fakes,wannabes and The Hills? The only thing nice in Southern California is the weather. Northern California all the way.
FatTony925
T-Will
Posted 4:38 AM 14/11/08
@Herman: I ROFFLED!
T-Will
T-Will
Posted 4:37 AM 14/11/08
@Iron Man Underoos: Seconded.
T-Will
T-Will
Posted 4:37 AM 14/11/08
@geiko: Boobies!
T-Will
EVEs_Mako
Posted 4:36 AM 14/11/08
@geiko: I 14th that!
EVEs_Mako
odobo
Posted 4:33 AM 14/11/08
and how come this isnt becoming a national threat?
odobo
ripfire
Posted 4:31 AM 14/11/08
@Rollo Tony: "Banana" @bobojuice: "paper airplane"
I believe we have discovered a new mathematical series!
ripfire
nutbastard
Posted 4:27 AM 14/11/08
@lilaliendog:
Seconded
nutbastard
Skeptic
Posted 5:07 AM 14/11/08
Amazing that it takes so long to cut off clear spam sources like McColo. Seems like arresting the owners would be a good follow up. There is know way they didn't know about all the activity on their servers.
Skeptic
Loonie
Posted 4:45 AM 14/11/08
@geiko:
Sorry, but you didn't speak for me. I said "fuck yeah".
Loonie
Comrade GadgetPlay, Fellow Traveler
Posted 5:32 AM 14/11/08
Hormel made the first batch of Spam in 1937. The second batch is scheduled to come out in 2010.
Comrade GadgetPlay, Fellow Traveler
Comrade GadgetPlay, Fellow Traveler
Posted 5:28 AM 14/11/08
@whootowl: Yeah, I'm not getting anything from McCain anymore...
Comrade GadgetPlay, Fellow Traveler
Amsterdaam
Posted 5:27 AM 14/11/08
@geiko:
10 PRINT "GOD DAMN!"
20 GOTO 10
Amsterdaam
KronikFpLiOnYkD
Posted 5:27 AM 14/11/08
@darthuv: @FatTony925: Agreed, I live in San Jose - and visit San Diego and LA a lot, but you just cant replace norcal.
KronikFpLiOnYkD
Alchemistmerlin
Posted 5:26 AM 14/11/08
@Comrade GadgetPlay, Fellow Traveler:
Force the ISP to fork over a listing of customers.
Go to the homes of customers.
Lock them in, burn the home.
Alchemistmerlin
Comrade GadgetPlay, Fellow Traveler
Posted 5:26 AM 14/11/08
@odobo: Gmail?
Comrade GadgetPlay, Fellow Traveler
Comrade GadgetPlay, Fellow Traveler
Posted 5:25 AM 14/11/08
@orappa: Yeah, and those cans cost a fortune to mail...
Comrade GadgetPlay, Fellow Traveler
Comrade GadgetPlay, Fellow Traveler
Posted 5:23 AM 14/11/08
@92BuickLeSabre: If it weren't for SPAM, I'd get no attention at all.
Comrade GadgetPlay, Fellow Traveler
Comrade GadgetPlay, Fellow Traveler
Posted 5:22 AM 14/11/08
@orappa: There used to be an outfit in San Jose that could handle the job, but they're out of business.
Comrade GadgetPlay, Fellow Traveler
kazemizuhi
Posted 5:21 AM 14/11/08
@Herman: ..ah, lol. That made my day.
kazemizuhi
Comrade GadgetPlay, Fellow Traveler
Posted 5:18 AM 14/11/08
@jrghoull: Any suggestions?
Comrade GadgetPlay, Fellow Traveler
kazemizuhi
Posted 5:18 AM 14/11/08
@geiko:
2^N(parent.commentID[logb(x)])*Ʃ/2.174(e2πi)'th
kazemizuhi
commentotron
Posted 5:11 AM 14/11/08
@FatTony925:
Don;t forget The Valley.
Bow wow chika wow
commentotron
Jrsy is the dude, playing the dude, disguised as another dude
Posted 5:49 AM 14/11/08
+ Watch video
Jrsy is the dude, playing the dude, disguised as another dude
Jrsy is the dude, playing the dude, disguised as another dude
Posted 5:47 AM 14/11/08
@Mayor McRib: Underwood Deviled Ham is the only Anti-Spam...
Jrsy is the dude, playing the dude, disguised as another dude
Ambiguous Blob 2.0
Posted 5:45 AM 14/11/08
@Loonie: My sentiments exactly.
Seconded.
Ambiguous Blob 2.0
Jrsy is the dude, playing the dude, disguised as another dude
Posted 5:44 AM 14/11/08
@Iron Man Underoos: Unless he's from Hawaii...
Jrsy is the dude, playing the dude, disguised as another dude
Mr. Kite
Posted 5:36 AM 14/11/08
I actually noticed a huge drop yesterday in the amount of spam I had in my daily quarantine summary. I guess this would explain it.
Mr. Kite
CmdrHunt
Posted 6:01 AM 14/11/08
@FatTony925: NorCal all the way.
CmdrHunt
anti-hello-kitty
Posted 6:47 AM 14/11/08
@orappa: Yeah, that's what I'd like to get stopped. Twice a week I throw out those lame glossy supersaver mailers. Straight from mailbox to recycle bin. Matter of fact, I haven't checked my mail in weeks...
anti-hello-kitty
paul
Posted 6:32 AM 14/11/08
@geiko: I sed "woo"
paul
fluf
Posted 7:00 AM 14/11/08
Missing the letter N at the end of McColo, no wonder it attracted such ass holes.
fluf
LoganSix
Posted 7:34 AM 14/11/08
@sharkync: That "SPAM" employees 2000 of my fellow coworkers and myself.
LoganSix
xThadd
Posted 7:22 AM 14/11/08
Now where will I find my increased girth?
xThadd
Bokusatsu_Tenshi
Posted 7:15 AM 14/11/08
What's all this talk about 75% depletion of canned ham?
I don't get it at all!!one1
Bokusatsu_Tenshi
awdark
Posted 7:57 AM 14/11/08
Send millions of spam messages out for years and get shut down eventually.
Download one song from limewire and the RIAA is after you. (okay maybe a movie or an album)
awdark
unspellable
Posted 8:24 AM 14/11/08
@Comrade GadgetPlay, Fellow Traveler: Yeah, what's up with that?
unspellable
unspellable
Posted 8:13 AM 14/11/08
@Herman: Anti-Spam Spam FTW!
(That was brilliant... especially the self-congratulations.)
unspellable
unspellable
Posted 8:10 AM 14/11/08
@Jrsy...: Yeah, their words would be minced, pressed together, fried, and then rolled with rice and seaweed until the public KNEW they were anti-SPAM.
unspellable
drjayphd
Posted 11:47 AM 14/11/08
@General Halfshaftery: Yeah, what the ef mang. I'd dutifully hit "submit" only to see my comment banished to the... uh, wherever.
drjayphd
johnniewalker
Posted 1:06 PM 14/11/08
Some real numbers for mail into my company:
Nov. 10
Total Inbound Spam Identified: 375
Inbound Spam Volume: 11.2%
Total Viruses: 14
Nov. 11
Total Inbound Spam Identified: 316
Inbound Spam Volume: 9.6%
Total Viruses: 15
Nov. 12
Total Inbound Spam Identified: 347
Inbound Spam Volume: 8.2%
Total Viruses: 18
So, we have seen a drop of 3%.
johnniewalker
DWes
Posted 1:38 PM 14/11/08
And yet, my spam rate remained constant...
DWes
mfusion
Posted 4:11 PM 14/11/08
@Comrade GadgetPlay, Fellow Traveler: that one got me.
mfusion
thetunecatt
Posted 4:52 PM 14/11/08
Yeah, no drop at all here either.
thetunecatt
nuclearlove
Posted 10:24 PM 14/11/08
@drjayphd: I'm still wondering where this "mang" shit came from.
nuclearlove
nuclearlove
Posted 10:23 PM 14/11/08
@Alchemistmerlin: Careful what you wish for! Would prefer ISPs not fork over customer data to anybody for anything short of a warrant. There's gotta be a better way.
nuclearlove
ninjaviking
Posted 1:02 AM 15/11/08
From the picture it looks like the spam rate went up a lot quickly just 12 hours after the shutdown...
ninjaviking
hnkelley
Posted 10:00 AM 17/11/08
@Amsterdaam:
10 n=0
20 n=n+1
30 Print "Hot damn +"n"!"
40 goto 20
hnkelley