Re: "portscans" (was Re: Arbor Networks DoS defense product)

[Stephen Griffin <stephen.griffin () rcn com>]

In the referenced message, Mitch Halmu said:
> On Sun, 19 May 2002, Dan Hollis wrote:
>  
> > netside has been a long time lunatic opponent of RBLs
>
> First they came for the Communists,
> and I didn't speak up,
> because I wasn't a Communist.
> Then they came for the Jews,
> and I didn't speak up,
> because I wasn't a Jew.
> Then they came for the Catholics,
> and I didn't speak up,
> because I was a Protestant.
> Then they came for me,
> and by that time there was no one
> left to speak up for me.
>
> (Rev. Martin Niemoller, 1945)
>
> --Mitch
> NetSide

Just think, there are still the spammers who you let use your open
relay. They can still speak up for you.

You say is too hard to close your relay, while vast numbers of providers
have done so, without issue.

Every closed relay is one less that a spammer has available
to abuse and mask their identity.

"Once there was a great storm that washed
thousands of starfish up onshore. As an
old man walked the beach he saw a young
boy picking up stranded starfish and
quickly returning them to the sea.

The man approached the boy and said,
"What are you doing? The sun is rapidly
rising. What difference does it make?
They're all going to die anyway."

As the boy rose from picking up another
starfish he said, "What difference does
it make? It will make a difference to
this one."Then he turned and set the
starfish free."

-- Adapted from "The Star Thrower" by Loren Eiseley