Interesting People mailing list archives

"Flash Mob" enables human DOS attack


From: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Tue, 05 Aug 2003 19:29:23 -0400


Date: Wed, 06 Aug 2003 00:22:57 +0100
From: David Byrden <David () Byrden com>
Subject: "Flash Mob" enables human DOS attack



Dave:

This item about "flash mobs", where people "voluntarily
and simultaneously converge" to "partake in a silly and
harmless activity" prompts a thought; isn't this the elements
of a DOS attack?
http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/internet/08/04/flash.mob/index.html
For example, you could arrange a crowd to obstruct a tour
or presentation of a retail premises. The participants need
not be told that they were interfering with anything important.
I am reminded of hackers who plant hostile code in large
numbers of networked computers, all programmed to send
requests to the same address at the same time; the Denial
Of Service attack.
I'll try to report on the planned Dublin event.

                                                David

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