Aaron Toponce

I have blogged about this before. If you haven't already decided to protect your inbox with Blue Security, get on it now! I couldn't be more serious. Blue Security is the single best solution for stopping spam COMPLETELY! If you are unsure about it, here is how Blue Security works.

First, a Do Not Intrude Registry (DNIR) has been created with email addresses. By joining the community, your email is added to the list. Now, the DNIR is hashed, so thus, it is not in readable format, and not hackable.

Then, the registry is forwarded to the spammers worldwide with a message to "Opt Out". The spammers check their email addresses they are spamming in their system with the hashed copy of the DNIR. If there are matches, the spammers are encouraged to remove the email from their spamming lists.

If they do not comply to the DNIR, then the Blue Frog community takes matters in their own hands. By registering your email address with Blue Security, you become a member of the community. If spammers are not removing your email address from their lists, then every message they sent to you, is forwarded back to the spammer. This effectively and ethically created a Denial of Service attack against the spammers. With only one person forwarding the message, this isn't much of a threat, but when there is a community of 474,672 users, this DOS attack is very threatening.

Of course, if the spammers still refuse to remove your email from the list, then a few things will happen eventually. Either their ISP will increase their rates due to the high amount traffic (more powerful than the Slashdot effect) or the stress on the servers will begin causing hardware failures, which means they will have to spend more money to keep their servers running. In any case, the spammers will be forking out more money just to keep their business in order. Eventually, the cost will catch up with them, and they will comply to removing your email from their lists anyway. Which is what we are after.

Okay. So now that WE are in control of our inbox, and not the spammers, what does this mean? It means spammers are getting frustrated, and they are beginning to whine. Because of the DOS attacks that they are receiving, there is no doubt they are at their wits end. So what better way than to put a cloud of doubt on the Blue Frog software, and scare the Blue Frog users? Here, for your reading enjoyment, is an email I received from a spammer trying to downplay Blue Frog. After which, I provide a response.

Subject: RE:Vida Guerra is in your neighbourhood
From: "APRYL BDLLAMY"
Date: Mon, 01 May 2006 08:01:27 -0600
To: <REMOVED>

You are being emailed because you are a user of BlueSecurity's well-know software "BlueFrog."
http://www.bluesecurity.com

Today, the BlueSecurity database became known to the worst spammers worldwide. Within 48 hours, the database will be published on the Internet, and your email address will be open to them all. After this, you will see the spam sent to your mailbox increase 10 - 20 fold.

BlueSecurity was illegally attacking email marketers, and doing so with your help. Many websites have been targeted and hit, including non-spam sites. BlueSecurity's software has been fully analyzed, and contains an abundance of malicious code. This includes: ability to send mass mail to users; the ability to attack websites with Distributied Denial of Service attack (DDoS); the ability to open hidden doors on any machine on which it is running; and a hidden auto-update code function, which can install anything on your computer and open it up to anyone.

BlueSecurity lists a USA address as their place of business, whereas their main office in the Tel Aviv. BlueSecurity is run by a few Russian-born Jews, who have previously been spamming themselves. When all is said and done, they will be able to run, hide and change their identities, leaving you to take the fall. YOU CANNOT PARTICIPATE IN ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES and expect to get away with it. This email ensures that you are well aware of the situation. Soon, you will be found guilty of computer crimes such as DDOS attacking of websites, conspiracy, and sending mass unsolicited bulk email messages for everything from viagra to porn, as long as you continue to run BlueFrog.

They do not take money for downloading their software, they do not take money for removing emails from their lists, and they have no visible revenue stream. What they DO have is 500,000 computers sitting there awaiting their next command. What are they doing now?

1. Using your computer to send spam ?
2. Using your computer to attack competitor websites?
3. Phishing through your files for your identity and banking information?

If you think you can merely change your email address and be safe while still running BlueFrog, you are in for a big surprise. This is just he beginning...

Where to begin? Oh this is just so much fun. Why don't we start from the beginning?

1. Your email subject line does not match the body of the message. Clue #1 that this is spam. Of course, I already knew that.
2. Threatening to publish my email address to the Internet is the reason I am receiving spam in the first place. If I didn't knowingly and willingly put my email address on websites, I wouldn't be receiving your garbage. So don't threaten me with something that is already in place.
3. Also, threatening that my email will increase 10 - 20 fold will be your downfall, not mine. Because a community of nearly 500,000 users waits for your garbage, just so we can report it back will absolutely kill you. Think about it. If you are complaining about the traffic and stress on your server now, wait until 500,000 users start reporting 10 - 20 times the amount of spam. I think "you are in for a big surprise". Can we say 5,000,000 email
4. Yes, the software does create the ability to send mass mail to "users", A.K.A. spammers. Yes, the software does create Distributed Denial of Service attacks. If you would just remove our email upon the first request, you would have to worry about DDoS attacks. The "hidden doors" you refer to are what we call "extensions" for Firefox and Thunderbird. And if the extension is listed on update.mozilla.org, then I hope it's updating itself. I certainly don't want to. In other words, I guess it does contain "malicious code"- malicious enough to get you to complain. By the way, if anyone is concerned about "back doors" or serious malicious code, they can be rest assured that Blue Frog is Open Source Software, and the code can be looked at by any developer.
5. I love the anti-semitic reference to "Russian-born Jews". Boy, that just adds a soft touch to the email, and makes me want to believe you even more. Please. If anything, you sound like German-born Nazi's.
6. You're absolutely right that I can not participate in illegal activities and expect to get away with it. However, Blue Security is hardly "illegal". Quite to the contrary, actually. If you wouldn't take over people's machines to create your zombie boxes, I wouldn't be attacking personal computers. So maybe you should stop creating zombie machines. Just a thought.

At any rate, I took great pleasure in reading your message today, as well as the 6 other variations, and even more pleasure in posting your idle threats. I will remain undaunted. If I start receiving 10-20 times more spam email, I will continue to report them. Every. Last. Message. The best part, however, is your advertising for Blue Security. Thanks for the plug on the greatest extension for Firefox and Thunderbird users. If anything, you have cemented my resolve to bring spam to a complete halt. The spammers will die.

So, for those reading my blog, get the extension. It is obvious that the spammers are feeling the heat, and they are beginning to pull out all the stops. The more we can bring on the heat, the more that we will reduce spam to a trickle. If you have any questions, contact me, and I'll help you as best I can. BTW- the extension works just fine and has been tested on Linux, Macintosh and Windows.

Good night, and good luck.