[geeks] Using a mailing list for a DDOS attack

[Lionel Peterson]

>From: Jonathan Katz <jon at jonworld.com>
>Date: 2007/11/26 Mon AM 10:34:48 CST
>To: The Geeks List <geeks at sunhelp.org>
>Subject: Re: [geeks] Using a mailing list for a DDOS attack

>> If 1300 calls to 112 causes a problem, it seems to me that something
>> is wrong with their emergency call system.
>>
>> Is it really that easy to overload?
>
>It's that easy to overload 911 in the USA.
>
>I live in a neighborhood that is urban and being gentrified. We have a
>vigilant crimewatch. Our hoodlum neighbors (now gone) had a small riot
>in the alley. A full-on brawl with about 15 people. SO many neighbors
>called 911 (about 20 at once) some of us received busy signals.

To be fair, there could have been something else going on in the region covered by the 911 center those 20 calls were directed to - I don't think you can conclude that 20 simultaneous calls overwhelemd the system. You can say that the system can be overwhelmed though, and that isn't so great...

Lionel