Sorry For The Down Time

[thewoodwhisperer]

As many of you noticed, the sites were all down for a couple of days. Yep, another DDOS attack. Once again we just need to weather the storm and hopefully access is restored for most of our users. Well, if you're reading this then it must be.

For those of us who supported us in the past, I'd like to say thank you once again. Your support is helping keep these sites up and running right now.

[DaBear]

GRRR!!! Hulk smash!!!!... Need to find the internet 'A-Team' to go track these buggers down. Keep the faith..

Regards,

[Jfitz]

Thanks for the update Marc. It's good to see you back online.

[Onboard]

Isn’t there some sort of filter that could be put in place to stop the attack from reaching it’s target (i.e. WTO), or at least divert the attack to the Ol’ bit bucket?

[pagel]

Time to make another purchase at the TWW Store. My response to the clown (or clowns) responsible for these attacks is to buy more TWW stuff.

Marc, your review of cyclone separators came at just the right time for me - thank you!

[duckkisser]

just dont get the whole point of crashing a site like this they cant get any money out of it. just to cause problems

[fransikaner]

Hang in there, Marc, and thanks for persevering.

[thewoodwhisperer]

Thanks guys. Unfortunately, I can't go into much detail about the attack itself or what we are doing to mitigate it. But rest assured we have the right people helping us out. Your continued support is appreciated!

[TomP]

Together we conquer. They must work with plastic

[Beechwood Chip]

Isn’t there some sort of filter that could be put in place to stop the attack from reaching it’s target (i.e. WTO)?

I'm going to take the opportunity to get on my soap box.

A DDOS attack comes from millions of personal computers, just like yours and mine, trying to access the site, just like you and I do. So, there's no easy way to distinguish the humans trying to access the site from the robots ("bots") trying to access the site.

The bad guys who are trying to put our friend out of business are using a "bot net". That's a collection of millions of personal computers under the control of a bad guy (a "bot herder"). Bot herder's are often mercenaries who will attack any site, for a fee.

Now, here's the freaky part - your computer might be part of a bot net. Bot herder's get control of your machine by tricking you, and then use it to attack people like our friend Marc. They can also steal your passwords, banking information, etc. They also do things like steal your address book so that they can trick your friends and relatives. People trust messages that look like they come from someone they know.

So, if you want to know what we can do to prevent this sort of attack:

• Install and enable legit anti-virus software, and turn on automatic scans and automatic updates
• Turn on automatic updates to your OS.
• Don't open any attachments in email unless you know what it is and you were expecting it. Even if it's "from" a friend. If you are not sure, ask your friend what it is before openinig it. (If the explanation of what it is, is in the same message as the attachment, that doesn't count.)
• Use the current version of your browser, and turn on all the security features. This will mean that many sites will say, "You have to enable something or other for this site to work." That means, "Please let us control your computer without telling you." If it's a site that you trust, like your bank, maybe you should let them. But don't give control of your computer to every site that that you happen to hit while surfing.
• Don't install anything on your computer unless you know where it comes from. If it's popping up in your face saying, "important operating system update - install now" then you don't know where it comes from. If it's in an email or a web site you happened to run across, then you don't know where it comes from.
• Don't trust links in email or web sites. It can say, "Microsoft security downloads," but take you to an official looking site that will turn your PC into a bot herder's slave. Instead, use a bookmarked link, or find the site yourself using Google.

OK, enough ranting.

[Jim_WoodWarden]

OK we need to run this jerk over a non-flesh detecting table saw a few times until he yells "Uncle" and agrees to stop this bullsh*t!!!

For the neanderthals out there you can sharpen your chisels and turn your hand saws into bone saws and go after the guy that way.

I just don't get why anyone would take the time or effort to do this - what nonsense.

Well I order the Woodwhisperer cap to replace the one my teething 6 month old german shepherd pup had for breakfast the other day and bought some other stuff on the TWW site in support of this. I encourage others to do the same to help Marc and the Woodwhisperer site out. Don't forget using the Woodwhisperer affiliate link to shop on Amazon also helps Marc out as well.

Hang tough Marc - sooner or latter you gotta think the effort this guy is putting in just won't be worth it to him anymore and he will go away.

[Southwood]

Guess it is time to renew my guild membership. Keep up the good work Marc and Co.

[rmac]

So, if you want to know what we can do to prevent this sort of attack:

• Several
  
• bulleted
  
• suggestions
  

Okay, I'm going to play devil's advocate here.

First, those are all good suggestions, and they might help to prevent any one person's computer from becoming part of the problem. But they will not in general "prevent this sort of attack". There are (apparently) plenty of unprotected computers connected to the 'net that securing a few of them here and there isn't going to make any difference. It's like buying a Prius on a Monday. Doing so might make you feel all nice and green and save you a few bucks on gas, but the brown cloud over the city will still be there on Tuesday.

Second, I'd really like to hear a recommendation for "legit anti-virus software" that doesn't suck. Every solution that I've ever tried has either been ineffective, or else it has slowed my computer to the point where it's unusable.

-- Russ

[Tony Wilkins]

Keep on trucking!!!

[mikem]

Russ,

I personally have been staying away from the "mainstream" antivirus software at home, such as McAffee and Norton. These packages seem to be the worst cuplrits at severly impacting system performance. Ater it successfully cleaned up a bad virus outbreak on one of my computers when others failed, I switched to AVG and have not looked back since.

[theapprenticeshand]

Second, I'd really like to hear a recommendation for "legit anti-virus software" that doesn't suck. Every solution that I've ever tried has either been ineffective, or else it has slowed my computer to the point where it's unusable.

Ok, plenty out there.

Webroot is quite good. Avast/Avira/AVG are all decent, and free to boot.

Mcafee and Norton are horrible.

[jHop]

A few years ago, McA-Fee was suddenly targeted because it had become more effective and gained popularity against Norton. Now, AVG is starting to get into the same place mcafee was in. Part of the problem (I'm not a programmer) is that the people who create these viruses, net bots, zombie hordes, and mass chaos are getting their hands on "maximum distribution" code. This means that they are targeting their viral or spyware products on products the majority of users have.

Think of it this way: are you going to send a new carbon fiber saw brake to everybody, or only those who use Saw Stop's products? (Okay, so that's a bad example. But the concept is there.) Now imagine if you were to deliberately make the saw brake to fail, and wanted to cause injury. Using the same above statement, which would you choose?

Personally, I see no point in this kind of activity. (Both DDoS and the above theoretical action.) But, being a paranoid sort, and having "cut my teeth" on the technology worlds by reading a lot of science fiction and playing both Cyberpunk and Shadowrun role playing games, I'm more sensitive to these kinds of news stories. (May not mean I can do much more than contribute the odd dollar here and there, but I'm more inclined to do so than random news stories.)

The only problem I have is the most efficient way I can contribute funding is via the websites, but when they go down, I have no access to the various storefronts / contribution channels. Does this mean the DDoS culprits are now interfering with the recovery of the general economy, too, since I have some coin to spend and am being blocked from spending it?

[Tony Wilkins]

NOD32 for Eset is what Leo Laporte recommends and has worked well for my wife. Not free but very, very good. For free I'd say AVG.

[thewoodwhisperer]

Thanks for the excellent summary and tips Chip. The key to stopping this crap truly does come down to the individual. Of course we will never see a day when all computers are properly protected, but that is no reason NOT to make the effort. So preach on my friend!

I hope that at some point I'll be able to talk a little more freely about what's going on and the reasons we "think" this might be happening. For now, I'm covering my nuts and just hoping to weather the storm.

[Tony Wilkins]

Of course, you could just buy a Mac It's been nice to not have to worry about this crap for the last decade since I switched.

[konkers]

I hope that at some point I'll be able to talk a little more freely about what's going on and the reasons we "think" this might be happening. For now, I'm covering my nuts and just hoping to weather the storm.

Now there's a book I'd read: "Covering My Nuts And Weathering The Storm: The Wood Whisperer DDOS Story"

[pagel]

There's no way to know whether the attacker(s) have been monitoring the community response to this. Nevertheless, I act on the assumption that they are aware of our response, which makes it all the more important to show our support in a public way.

So don't be shy about publicly announcing your TWW Store purchases or whatever you do as a result. Hopefully these clowns will move on if and when they realize their attacks are having the opposite effect.

Just a thought

[alaporte]

Marc,

Glad to see the site backup. I was being to get a bit worried when I could not get in for a day or two.

I know this must be very frustrating for you but hang in there eventually it will go away when they realize you’re not quitting.

On the bright side this is the price of fame, your site and you are doing so well that other people are jealous of you.

Andy

[Pinto]

Of course, you could just buy a Mac It's been nice to not have to worry about this crap for the last decade since I switched.

Be careful with that mentality...

While Macs have been virtually virus-free for years, it's by no means because they are immune. Mainly, it's been because PC (and more specifically MS Windows) has the larger marketshare and hackers tend to go where the biggest return for the least investment lies... that and because adults that live in mommy's basement have a chip on their shoulder about anyone that shows any signs of success (under the guise of fighting "corporate greed").

With the proliferation of Macs in in the non-academic computer world that has occurred over the past few years, Macs are becoming a larger target. Hell, if I didn't have ethics I'd target them just because of the holier-than-thou attitude of most Mac users! e.g. Take a look at what happened to Google earlier this week...

[Joraft]

Of course, you could just buy a Mac It's been nice to not have to worry about this crap for the last decade since I switched.

Yes, the freedom from viruses for Mac owners may be coming to an end:

Apple's Success Brings Microsoft's Virus Problems