BahdKo Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 I had a spammer get ahold of a cgi scri_pt on a web/mail server I run (I didn't know the scri_pt had problems until now, it was Subscribe 2.0 by perlfect.com), and the spammer sent out two batches of spam yesterday. I have since disabled the scri_pt, but, I have all of the logs of the spammer doing it. My logs include what looks like some exploratory exploitation, where the spammer was seeing if he could get the scri_pt to send the spam, and then the cgi scri_pt has also recorded every single spam email interaction, in detail. I have both the web logs and the actual files that the cgi scri_pt wrote out in order to send the spam, and what looks like a list of the spammer's mail recipients. IE: lots of evidence. Do any of you have experience with taking evidence like this and using it to give a professional spammer a hard time? If so, I'm hoping to get some advice or assistance in how I could proceed. I believe that the first probes into the scri_pt may have been done from the spammer's home machine, and used reply-to mailboxes that he has access to, and after that, the spammer reverted to a botnet in asia to do the actual spamming. I frequently do abuse type work but I have the feeling that pursuing a professional spammer may be more involved than I know right now. The mail server is physically located in Maryland. Thanks, --Laura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff G. Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 What state are you in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wazoo Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 With something like this, a call to your local FBI office might get some interest. In general, it's my understanding that there's a bit of a threshold of damages involved for them to jump on it as a specific case ($25,000 USD comes to mind, but no attribures available) .... on the other hand, your data may feed into something else that may be ongoing, perhaps under the Homeland stuff, or another case involving the same unauthorized access and theft of resources. Your storyline sounds like one or two of the more famous of the top spammers .. Ralsky comes to mind ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BahdKo Posted March 17, 2005 Author Share Posted March 17, 2005 What state are you in? 25619[/snapback] The server is located in Maryland. I'm personally out of town at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff G. Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 You could start with http://www.spamlaws.com/state/md.html (for the spam) and http://www.oag.state.md.us/contact.htm (for the theft of service and trespass to chattels). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BahdKo Posted March 17, 2005 Author Share Posted March 17, 2005 You could start with http://www.spamlaws.com/state/md.html (for the spam) and http://www.oag.state.md.us/contact.htm (for the theft of service and trespass to chattels). 25654[/snapback] Interesting stuff. I have been reading a bit, and I'm finding I have more questions as I read more. Firstly, it does look like the spammer broke Maryland state law to the letter. According to how the law reads, he appears to owe me $1000.00 and my website owner $500.00 (he spoofed the website owner using his name, professional title, and email address), plus any "reasonable attorney's fees". My website owner happens to be a doctor, and the spam was for pharmaceutical crap, so maybe there is a point to be made there as well. Does anyone have any suggestions on exactly how would I go about this? For example, would I do research on my own (such as contacting ISPs) or wait and let some state investigator do that? Would I contact an attorney in Maryland who does internet law cases, or would I contact legal authorities in Maryland directly? I don't have damage amounts that would get the FBI interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff G. Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 You should definitely get that attorney involved, especially when you consider that each spam a separate action and that the multiplied amount the spammer owes you probably exceeds Maryland's limit for small-claims court. If that attorney will take on the case on a contingency basis, so much the better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff G. Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 Of course, you need to watch out for CAN-spam's evisceration of state and local anti-spam laws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BahdKo Posted March 17, 2005 Author Share Posted March 17, 2005 Of course, you need to watch out for CAN-spam's evisceration of state and local anti-spam laws. 25667[/snapback] Thanks for the advice. I sent an email to a Maryland based attorney, we'll see what they think. Im not real familour with what CAN-spam did in that regard. This spammer was impersonating my web client, so I am guessing this was illegal under CAN-spam too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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