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Script-kiddie Threatens Aardvark 20 September 2002 Edition
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Yesterday's column pointed out the activities of a website which appeared to be selling bootleg copies of movies and software to Kiwis under the pretence of offering "backups".

By doing a very simple lookup in the Domainz database, I was able to determine that the registered owner of the site (dvdstation.co.nz) was one Timothy Kramer, even though the alias "deathr0w" was used during an exchange of emails.

Well it seems that Mr deathr0w isn't best pleased about the fact that I was so very clever as to track down that entry in the Domainz database.


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In order to express his disapproval he sent me this email (with no indication that it was not for publication):

"also u must remove that "timothy Kramer" from your artical that was never given to you. That name was not even mentioned you have done this on your own now even though i am in the philipines i can still take action against your site if it's with the law or with mass packets from fast shells so remove it at once. cause aardvark being on a shitty NZ ISP wouldn't stand much of a chance against major dossing"

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"You have until 10am friday 20th september to remove the domainz content info and the name mention or action begins you have no right to publish a persons name on your site i gave u an alias to publish with not a name even though it is avaliable on domainz you still have no right to publish it without permission because all your speculation is crap on your site if u want a real interview on the inside of asian dvds i will so it's your choice for ur site to stay alive.

209.240.133.249 is locked and ready for a target remember in the philipines there is no law on packets to ips and websites"

In light of this entertaining threat, would you buy a "backup" (or anything) from this guy?

That is the exact "cut and paste" text I was sent -- the spelling mistakes and child-like grammar are his not my typos. There was nothing before the "also" either -- that's the entire message.

Of course regular readers will know that threatening Aardvark is about the dumbest thing you can possibly do if you're trying to hush something up.

I always respect confidences and consider all "off the record" conversations to be private and not for publication -- but in the case of deathr0w, no request was made that only an alias be used and since any halfwit with a keyboard could have easily uncovered the name of the registered owner of dvdstation.co.nz I fail to see why he's complaining.

From the MPAA"s perspective -- deathr0w tried to circumvent copyright laws in order to make a buck. The MPAA weren't impressed, his hosting company wasn't impressed, and I doubt any of his would-be victims customers were impressed.

So, will Aardvark be knocked off the Web by a DDOS attack? Perhaps he'll give it a go -- but I don't think the hosting company will be impressed and I suspect that, since he's been dumb enough to implicate himself in the event of such an attack, they'll take legal action against him.

He maybe hiding out in SE Asia right now, but unless he wants to stay there forever, he'll eventually bump into PC Plod -- and in the wake of 9-11, the authorities take a very dim view of "cyberterrorism" don't they?

Hey deathr0w, how'd ya like to spend a few years in "Club Guantanamo Bay"?

Yeah, I'm still sick -- someone pass the tissues and the Panadol!

If you want to have your say on the contents of today's column then please do so. Only comments marked "For Publication" will (if I have time) be published in the reader's comments section.


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