Slashdot is powered by your submissions, so send in your scoop

 


Forgot your password?
Close
typodupeerror
×
Security

"E-Jihad" Exaggerated by Russian Media Spin 244

Posted by CmdrTaco from the its-august-so-there's-no-other-news dept.
decompiler writes "Earlier reports that cyber-terrorists would be bringing down the internet today have now been denounced as "Russian media sensationalist spin", and Jose Nazario of Arbor Networks says, "There have been no precursors to a large-scale attack.""
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.

"E-Jihad" Exaggerated by Russian Media Spin More

"E-Jihad" Exaggerated by Russian Media Spin

Comments Filter:

  • They lied to us! (Score:5, Funny)

    by chrispyman ( 710460 ) on Thursday August 26, 2004 @01:04PM (#10079913)
    And I used to figure, if it's on the internet it must be true! There goes that theory...

  • "E-Jihad"? (Score:5, Funny)

    by grunt107 ( 739510 ) on Thursday August 26, 2004 @01:04PM (#10079918)
    Sounds like a "E-Jihadn't"
    • Yep - the color scheme at it.slashdot.org is still pukey, so the terrorist attempts must have failed - either that, or /. is a high priority for the Department of Homeland Security to defend ..

  • Two things you usually don't see together (Score:5, Funny)

    by lucabrasi999 ( 585141 ) on Thursday August 26, 2004 @01:05PM (#10079920) Journal

    News Media

    and

    Exaggerated

    • At least they didn't claim that the cyberterrorists would have an affect on YOUR CHILDREN!!!!!!!

      • The correct spelling is "Faux". (Score:4, Funny)

        by Lethyos ( 408045 ) on Thursday August 26, 2004 @03:08PM (#10081279) Journal

        Get it right, will ya!

    • Re:Two things you usually don't see together (Score:5, Funny)

      by eln ( 21727 ) on Thursday August 26, 2004 @01:08PM (#10079965)
      There's some sort of strange comfort in knowing that the American media is not alone in this sort of behavior, at least.

      Oh, who am I kidding, journalism as a profession is doomed. They may as well just give out degrees in "reporting sensationalist nonsense" and be done with it.
      • Copying press release with zero verification of the claims in said press release. See RIAA/MPAA piracy claims and the reporting of those by ALL MEDIA.
      • They may as well just give out degrees in "reporting sensationalist nonsense" and be done with it.

        Why not? They already have specific attention drawn to journalists who are gay [google.com].

        Why not just make a new group to sensationalize. I don't even know why they have to separate themselves. Journalism should only be a story about the story and the journalist should be a name at the end of the column.

      • Journalism in the US is faaaaar more respectible than in other countries. Its taken years for the US media to destroy their credibility on the scale of foreign publishers.
      • Oh, who am I kidding, journalism as a profession is doomed. They may as well just give out degrees in "reporting sensationalist nonsense" and be done with it.

        You were already +5 funny, but I would have made you +5 insightful. The race to be first has replaced the race to get it right, with all phases of media. With so much pressure on rating, the quality of news has been replaced with as much sensationalisim that can fit in a 30 sec. sound bite. Thank (Deity) for Slashdot and Fark, so I can keep up with t

  • ISC Handlers put it best (Score:5, Funny)

    by UnderAttack ( 311872 ) * on Thursday August 26, 2004 @01:05PM (#10079926) Homepage
    From yesterday's
    Diary [sans.org]:
    "The ISC would like to go out on a limb and predict that the Internet will not vaporize into a cloud of nothingness this Thursday, but if it does, it's been our pleasure to help stave off its inevitable annihilation this long. "

  • oh crap (Score:5, Funny)

    by TedCheshireAcad ( 311748 ) <ted@fUMLAUTc.rit.edu minus punct> on Thursday August 26, 2004 @01:06PM (#10079938) Homepage
    I took work off today because I thought the internet was gonna go down. I didn't mention my absence to any of my supervisors, because I figured they would all be freaking out because the internet is down so they wouldn't notice I was missing.

    I should either:
    A) Go to work.
    B) Bring in some pruning shears and re-create the effect of the internet being down on a much more local scale by severing the fiber line.

    Where are those shears at?
    • I should either:
      A) Go to work.
      B) Bring in some pruning shears and re-create the effect of the internet being down on a much more local scale by severing the fiber line.

      doesn't B still constitute going to work?

  • Ahem... (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 26, 2004 @01:06PM (#10079947)
    Jose Nazario of Arbor Networks says, "There have been no precursors to a large-scale attack."

    Except maybe for a couple of russian jetliners going down simultaneously out of the same airport.

  • Obligatory... (Score:5, Funny)

    by CaptainPuff ( 323270 ) on Thursday August 26, 2004 @01:07PM (#10079954)
    In Mother Russia, the Internet attacks you....
    wait a minute... my box gets port probed all day and I'm not even in Russia. grrrrrrrr

  • E-Terror Level (Score:5, Funny)

    by johnkoer ( 163434 ) <johnkoer&yahoo,com> on Thursday August 26, 2004 @01:07PM (#10079955) Homepage Journal
    The E-Terror level has subsequently been lowered to #FFFF00

    • Very good comment!

      And in the same vein, I'd be more worried if the alert went to #663300...

      ..that's when it is time to get a fresh set of underwear and trousers ;-)

  • they already struck (Score:3, Funny)

    by theMerovingian ( 722983 ) on Thursday August 26, 2004 @01:08PM (#10079975) Journal

    about two weeks ago... [google.com]

  • E-slam? (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 26, 2004 @01:09PM (#10079979)
    Is e-jihad a characteristic of the E-slam faith?
    • Yes, it is.

      However, most me-slims regard the lesser e-jihad as frivolous, especially when they must still wager the increasingly difficult greater e-jihad within their own b0xen. After all, how can one rid others of the sins of Windows if one is still fighting the worms and viruses of one's own computer?

  • Ha! (Score:5, Funny)

    by east coast ( 590680 ) on Thursday August 26, 2004 @01:09PM (#10079986)
    I knew it was just a big lie... There was no way those cowards were going to sd #4f d# $ i%5@

    NO CARRIER

  • I know why (Score:5, Funny)

    by StevenHenderson ( 806391 ) <stevehenderson.gmail@com> on Thursday August 26, 2004 @01:09PM (#10079989)
    They were going to launch the attack, but the amazing security of XP SP2 has made potential victims impenetrable fortresses!

  • Bright side (Score:5, Insightful)

    by metlin ( 258108 ) * on Thursday August 26, 2004 @01:09PM (#10079991) Journal
    Well, look at the bright side. The fact that a lot of the news sources had denounced this as bullshit for the most part, and even made fun of it - is something positive.

    A while ago, something like this would have been treated a whole lot more seriously - the fact that people (especially some of the media) are realizing not all of the stuff that comes on the net needs to make sense is a slight silver lining :)
    • the fact that people (especially some of the media) realizing not all of the stuff that comes on the net needs to make sense

      And it only took them 9 years (give or take a few years since the web took off) to figure that fact out! Wow. At this rate, It will only be 40 more years until these "people" stop buying things from spammers.

  • Damn you Kaspersky lab (Score:2, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    I just spent the last 4 hours hermetically sealing my linux box with duct tabe and plastic wrap.
  • Is this why I've been getting those '503 Error' messages when I try to hit Slashdot?

    CB

  • Oh Man (Score:5, Funny)

    by quaketripp ( 621850 ) on Thursday August 26, 2004 @01:13PM (#10080041)
    I bet Al Gore is releived to hear is was a hoax, his baby was in jeopardy.

  • Wait just a minute! (Score:4, Funny)

    by cephyn ( 461066 ) on Thursday August 26, 2004 @01:14PM (#10080056) Homepage
    You mean to tell me that the thing that, according ot the media, "may or may not happen" didn't actually happen?

    So in that case, the media was right. Why are we upset with them?

    I think I may or may not get back to work now. Hey, at least I'm not lying.

  • Yeah actually... (Score:3, Funny)

    by tekiegreg ( 674773 ) * <tekieg1-slashdot@yahoo.com> on Thursday August 26, 2004 @01:15PM (#10080064) Homepage Journal
    I just realized it was a normal day...despite the threat of a cyber-attack today.

    Move along people nothing to see here...

    Tomorrow Tom Ridge will probably announce that the United States could be under attack soon by a bunch off terrorists arriving in flying pigs...*sigh*

    • Re:Yeah actually... (Score:2, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward
      Newsflash:

      The Department of Homeland Security has monitored increasing activity along with a decrease in temperature in Hell. Unable to reveal their sources, the current administration simply said "Let's just say we have credible sources in Hell that report these activities to us from time to time." As impending armageddon nears, they have added a new terror alert level, "GRAPE" which we will now observe until the end of time.

      Asked to explain "GRAPE" level, a DHS representative said the best plan of act
  • The world was saved from E-Jihad because informed slashdotters were not induced to browse related websites without big images.

  • What?!? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 26, 2004 @01:15PM (#10080071)
    Next thing you know, we're going to find out Iraq didn't have any WMDs. It's almost as if somebody actually BENEFITS from creating unsubstantiated media scares. Anyway, I gotta get back to duct taping my windows.
  • Slashdot is probably read my a mostly American crowd, and only can bring down small servers. But considering the important [slashdot.org] articles [slashdot.org] being posted today, we may have a few "large chunks" on their way down.

  • e-jihad.com (Score:5, Funny)

    by acceleriter ( 231439 ) on Thursday August 26, 2004 @01:23PM (#10080149)
    The data in Register.com's WHOIS database is provided to you by
    Register.com for information purposes only, that is, to assist you in
    obtaining information about or related to a domain name registration
    record. Register.com makes this information available "as is," and
    does not guarantee its accuracy. By submitting a WHOIS query, you
    agree that you will use this data only for lawful purposes and that,
    under no circumstances will you use this data to: (1) allow, enable,
    or otherwise support the transmission of mass unsolicited, commercial
    advertising or solicitations via direct mail, electronic mail, or by
    telephone; or (2) enable high volume, automated, electronic processes
    that apply to Register.com (or its systems). The compilation,
    repackaging, dissemination or other use of this data is expressly
    prohibited without the prior written consent of Register.com.
    Register.com reserves the right to modify these terms at any time.
    By submitting this query, you agree to abide by these terms.

    Organization:
    mubahela.net
    Shabbir Hassanally
    183 Vaughan Road
    West Harrow, Middlesex HA14EQ
    GB
    Phone: +44 7764 947 816
    Fax..: +44 208 933 0929
    Email: shabbirh@mubahela.net

    Registrar Name....: Register.com
    Registrar Whois...: whois.register.com
    Registrar Homepage: http://www.register.com

    Domain Name: E-JIHAD.COM

    Created on..............: Wed, Apr 17, 2002
    Expires on..............: Sun, Apr 17, 2005
    Record last updated on..: Tue, Jun 17, 2003

    Administrative Contact:
    mubahela.net
    Shabbir Hassanally
    183 Vaughan Road
    West Harrow, Middlesex HA14EQ
    GB
    Phone: +44 7764 947 816
    Fax..: +44 208 933 0929
    Email: shabbirh@mubahela.net

    Technical Contact, Zone Contact:
    Register.Com
    Domain Registrar
    575 8th Avenue - 11th Floor
    New York, NY 10018
    US
    Phone: 902-749-2701
    Fax..: 902-749-5429
    Email: domain-registrar@register.com

    Domain servers in listed order:

    NS.MUBAHELA.NET 209.51.129.80
    NS2.MUBAHELA.NET 209.51.129.81

  • Anyone remember Eric Metcalf ? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by MerlynEmrys67 ( 583469 ) on Thursday August 26, 2004 @01:23PM (#10080153)
    I still have a Tee-shirt that says the internet will end in 10^h^h 9 Days - Repent

    People have been predicting the end of the internet as we know it for 20 years now (remember the cutover date 20 1/2 years ago ?) and somehow it still hasn't happened.

    Somehow I don't think it ever will

  • Ahem. (Score:2)

    by Effugas ( 2378 ) *
    That's Dr. Jose Nazario to you :-)

    (Friendly props, Dr. J. See ya at Toor.)

    --Dan
  • It is about TERROR! It is about emotional manipulation. I'm sorry, but no matter how financially devastating a loss of internet might be, it really doesn't compare to the emotional effect of watching two towers in New York getting hit by jumbo jets and falling to the ground. Not to mention the symbolism behind the world trade center. This whole idea of "cyber-terrorism" is a big joke perpetuated by the ignorant. I'm not saying that nobody will evertry to DDoS the Internet, but I don't really think it would
    • 'This whole idea of "cyber-terrorism" is a big joke perpetuated by the ignorant.'

      I disagree with this. On the whole, the idea of cyber-terrorism is a carefully laid plan perpetuated by those who stand to gain from having a paranoid populace. Count how many times the US uses "terr'rists" to justify overreaching legislation.
      • I disagree with this. On the whole, the idea of cyber-terrorism is a carefully laid plan perpetuated by those who stand to gain from having a paranoid populace. Count how many times the US uses "terr'rists" to justify overreaching legislation.

        How does that one saying go? "Be careful of attributing to malice what can be just as easily attributed to ignorance (stupidity?)"

        There may be some element of planning, but for the most part I think that it comes down to ignorance and an utter lack of understandin

    • It is about TERROR! It is about emotional manipulation.

      The terracist HATES our perfect platonic mountains. Their goals are to ruin the perfect geometric harmony of our hills with earth-dams. This will them to move agriculture from the sacred plains into the mountains. THIS MUST BE STOPPED. They need flatness, they cannot stand the majestry of our beautiful american landscape!

    • It is about TERROR! It is about emotional manipulation. I'm sorry, but no matter how financially devastating a loss of internet might be, it really doesn't compare to the emotional effect of watching two towers in New York getting hit by jumbo jets

      You're speaking from the point of view of an individual. I would imagine that a complete loss of internet connectivity and/or security for an extended period could be pretty terrifying to the bigwigs at a lot of America's corporations, which as we know have m

      • You're speaking from the point of view of an individual. I would imagine that a complete loss of internet connectivity and/or security for an extended period could be pretty terrifying to the bigwigs at a lot of America's corporations, which as we know have more influence in Washington than us peasants.

        No, I'm speaking from the point of view of a human being. Things blowing up is far more terrifying that a loss of business. Sorry. Also, taking down the Internet is a very sloppy way of making a point. Ter

      • I think you are grouping guerilla tactics in with terrorism. We have seen some politicians do so to stir emotions and raise support for causes that more rational minds might reject. And we see the media do so out of competition for eyeballs. But doing so runs the risk of crying wolf since the public can't be exposed to alarm after alarm with no actual attack without losing that sense of urgency that we need to be ready to respond to a real crisis.
  • So you mean that burning sensation in the back of my skull is not from the internet melting dow...*thud*
  • I am not surprised at all. I grew up in Soviet Union and if you think U.S. media is unfair and biased you can only imagine what it would be like in a post-communist state ruled by mafia and corruption. They are fond of inducing panic over non-issues and sweeping under the rug important stuff that government doesn't want them to say. Or maybe it was just Kaspersky who decided to get some publicity. They are playing the "Russian uber smart hacker genious" card and claim they figured out something that your "s
    • "post-communist state ruled by mafia and corruption."

      wouldn't that be the Soviet Union 1930-today?

  • Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the Slashdot Community predict yesterday that this may or may not be the outcome?

  • There's lies, damn lies, statistics, and then there's Russian media.

  • Well, doh. (Score:5, Insightful)

    by argent ( 18001 ) <peter@slashdot . ... t a r o nga.com> on Thursday August 26, 2004 @01:43PM (#10080366) Homepage Journal
    We knew it was a hoax yesterday.

    Hot news! Obvious hoax TURNS OUT TO BE HOAX!

    *sigh*
  • This is somewhat likely to be an innoculation against a real threat being taken seriously. Oh, the warning was likely "real", in the sense that those who made it probably spoke those words, but it was probably "amplified" by press so that we'd watch it fail and not trust the next warning.

    There's really a fine art of preventing panic. This is part of how it's done.

    --Dan
  • It isn't reasonable to expect someone to be able to predict attacks with 100% accuracy.

    IMHO what _is_ reasonable, that they can come up with reasonable odds over time. Maybe there _was_ an increased chance of an e-attack today and we just got lucky. Personally, I would think a guy that could name 10 days with a 10% chance of terrorism and get a resonable number right was doing _very_ good.
  • Tomorrow, we are not expecting anything unusual to happen.

    We now return you to your regularly scheduled spam.

  • Seems to me that the 'terrorists' wanted the authorities to be focusing on the rumored Internet attack while they in fact smuggled themselves and/or bombs onto aircraft.

  • Something hiccuped? (Score:2, Insightful)

    by Coopa ( 773302 )
    http://www.internettrafficreport.com/main.htm [internettr...report.com] Shows a little hiccup, or something? What's that blip?
  • ... on the internet traffic report graphs right now? What happened to cause them?

  • I've gone e-JIHAD before! (Score:3, Funny)

    by mustangdavis ( 583344 ) on Thursday August 26, 2004 @03:25PM (#10081428) Homepage Journal


    I've gone Jihad electronicaly before ... just click the "Jihad" button at the priest's temple when you've reached the Iron Age ... then your peasants have +10 attack, and can melt down enemy towers like they're butter!!!

    This was, by far, one of the cheesiest (legitimate) tactics I ever used in that game! I've won a game with nothing more than Jihad peasants!!! I'd build dozens of town centers (terrorist training facilities), and bumb rush the enemy town, burning down all of their buildings with nothing more than peasants!!!

    JIHAD!!!!

    *Please ignore this if you haven't played Age of Empires*
  • It won't be hackers.

    Anything hackers can do can be sensed, and the appropriate code put in place to stop the leak.

    I go to bed peacefully knowing the internet runs on a series of protocols that is just about as secure as knowing the English language will still exist tomorrow. Someone may misuse it, but that does not render the whole shebang moot.

    As long as the Internet is the property of the commons, no one can do much harm to it.

    We have a really nice series of plumbing in place now to route information

  • It may not be true, but... (Score:3, Interesting)

    by CritterNYC ( 190163 ) on Thursday August 26, 2004 @03:40PM (#10081601) Homepage
    as I type, a big-ass piece of AT&T's backbone is having major problems.
  • It seems more like someone just wanted to get his name [slashdot.org] published. Notice the description "computer expert".
  • There was suppose to be an earth shattering Kaboom!

Slashdot Top Deals

"Look! There! Evil!.. pure and simple, total evil from the Eighth Dimension!" -- Buckaroo Banzai

Close