spam, The Rainstorm(s) of 2006.
Spammers launched a huge number of directory harvesting emails over recent days in an apparent attempt to update their email databases. The attack, which lasted several days, peaked on Sunday, 18 June when web security firm BlackSpider intercepted 109 times more of these malicious emails than it normally intercepts.
The flood of emails, used by spammers to collect valid email addresses, originated from a botnet of more than 90,000 compromised PCs, or 'spambots'. Directory harvesting emails are continuing to circulate but in far fewer numbers. Emails that formed part of the attack contained little or no text and were simply used to verify that email address were valid in cases where email servers didn't reject emails. Junk mail lowlifes then used the addresses in their own campaigns or sold verified lists on at a premium to other spammers.
...(more: http://www.theregister.com/2006/06/26/directory_harvest_attack/)
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I've forgotten about this song. :: purrs::
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Washington Post has pictures of the effects of our insane (and awesome) rain storms as of late: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/gallery/2006/06/26/GA2006062600733_index_frames.htm?startat=undefined (link may not work. If it doesn't, check the Washington Post homepage.)
[append]
Huh, looking at those pictures, I guess we were lucky. We didn't see anything that bad, although we certainly did see our backyard turn into a river of sorts, water at least 4 inches deep in places. A similar river formed in the common area behind our backyard. And both rivers merged into our neighbor's backyard to form a lake. The water flowing past our driveway in the front of the house splashed up possibly a foot, as it hit the other curb of our driveway. Kinda sucks that I just realized that I should have taken picture ^^;; Won't see this again, probably. Unless the weather system really does stay stuck over our area. I wouldn't mind that all too much, honestly, but it would be annoying for others. We'll see.
The flood of emails, used by spammers to collect valid email addresses, originated from a botnet of more than 90,000 compromised PCs, or 'spambots'. Directory harvesting emails are continuing to circulate but in far fewer numbers. Emails that formed part of the attack contained little or no text and were simply used to verify that email address were valid in cases where email servers didn't reject emails. Junk mail lowlifes then used the addresses in their own campaigns or sold verified lists on at a premium to other spammers.
...(more: http://www.theregister.com/2006/06/26/directory_harvest_attack/)
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I've forgotten about this song. :: purrs::
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Washington Post has pictures of the effects of our insane (and awesome) rain storms as of late: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/gallery/2006/06/26/GA2006062600733_index_frames.htm?startat=undefined (link may not work. If it doesn't, check the Washington Post homepage.)
[append]
Huh, looking at those pictures, I guess we were lucky. We didn't see anything that bad, although we certainly did see our backyard turn into a river of sorts, water at least 4 inches deep in places. A similar river formed in the common area behind our backyard. And both rivers merged into our neighbor's backyard to form a lake. The water flowing past our driveway in the front of the house splashed up possibly a foot, as it hit the other curb of our driveway. Kinda sucks that I just realized that I should have taken picture ^^;; Won't see this again, probably. Unless the weather system really does stay stuck over our area. I wouldn't mind that all too much, honestly, but it would be annoying for others. We'll see.