From: ichudov@algebra.com (Igor Chudov @ home)
Date: Tue, 8 Apr 1997 15:10:54 -0700 (PDT)
To: ichudov@algebra.com
Subject: Re: Anti-Spambot: what algorithm should be used?
In-Reply-To: <no.id>
Message-ID: <199704082129.QAA03372@manifold.algebra.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text


Another problem: what would prevent an anti-spam zealot from posting
the following:

    From: antispammer@usenet.cabal.com
    Newsgroups: rec.sports.phishing,alt.fan.alice
    Message-ID: <123@bob.server>

    <something phishing-related>
    --
    Alice's ID# 123456  Drink Kaka Kola -- Kaka Cola is full of shit,
			do not drink it, I am just collecting $$ from
			stupid Alice, Hahaha!!!


Igor Chudov @ home wrote:
> 
> i think that it is a good idea.
> 
> remember though that it will not be hard to modify newsreader clients to
> automatically killfile all articles matching Alice's regexps, or even to
> grab them automatically from her website. So Alice may discover that her
> business is not as effective.
> 
> igor
> 
> Dr.Dimitri Vulis KOTM wrote:
> > 
> > owner-cypherpunks@manifold.algebra.com writes:
> > 
> > > As we all know, there exist certain programs, called "spambots", whose
> > > task is to post various messages to many newsgroups simultaneously.
> > > 
> > > Besides their posting functionality, certain spambot programs take
> > > special care to make their spams undetectable by anti-spambots. In
> > > particular, they can be programmed to modify certain fields or the
> > > message text itself in such a way that these messages would not look
> > > unique, but would still carry the same content.
> > 
> > I just came up with yet another brilliant idea how to combine Usenet
> > marketing with e-cash. Suppose Alice runs an advertizing agency and gets
> > paid to publicize certain messages of commercial or political nature.
> > 
> > She sets up a Web page listing the catalog of regexps that she wishes to
> > publicize. Something like:
> > 
> > 1. Visit.*teens.*http://www.xxxfoo.bar
> > 2. Elect.*John M. Grubor.*sheriff
> > 4. For a drooling good time.*900-555-5555
> > 3. Drink Kaka Cola
> > 
> > and a price list for each regexp - say, $2 for posting this regexp in a
> > moderated newsgroup, 50c for the Big 8, 25c for alt and regionals. I'm
> > not sure if cross-posts should be discounted. Assuming there are several
> > such Alices, the prices will be set by supply and demand.
> > 
> > Suppose Bob, in search of a few quick bucks, comes across Alice's site.
> > We'd have to think of a protocol, but Alice assigns Bob an id which he
> > must mention together with the regexps in order to get credit. Alice and
> > Bob enter a contract. Bob puts one or more of Alice's regexps in his
> > Usenet articles - most likely in the .signature. For example:
> > 
> >    From: bob
> >    Newsgroups: rec.sports.phishing,alt.fan.alice
> >    Message-ID: <123@bob.server>
> >    <something phishing-related>
> >    --
> >    Elect John M. Grubor sheriff!!!            Alice's ID# 123456
> >    I am Bob! I am Bob! I am Bob the Poster!   Drink Kaka Kola
> > 
> > Alice's bot searches the Usenet feed (like K*bo and S*rd*r) for the
> > regexps that she is paid to promote. When she encounters Bob's article,
> > it extracts Bob's ID and the Message-Id, counts the distinct regexps, and
> > the newsgroups, and credits Bob's account.
> > 
> > If Carol follows up on Bob's article and quotes Bob's regexps and ID#,
> > then Bob gets paid again. If somehow an article contains the ID# of two
> > or more of Alice's agents, they split the fee.
> > 
> > Alice's contract can also specify that if a third party forges a cancel
> > within a week for Bob's Usenet article containing the regexp, then Alice
> > will pay nothing and let Bob sue the forger for the lost income. (This
> > may become moot as more and more ISPs ignore forged cancels.) This gives
> > Bob the insentive to spam intelligently - not to trigger any cancelbots
> > and not to have his plug pulled by his ISP.
> > 
> > Alice can also put some reasonable caps on the number of repetitions
> > because if Bob posts the same regexp 10,000 times, the marginal exposure
> > is less from Bob than from a newbie Carol. Again, if there are several
> > such Alices, the market will take care of negotiating such details.
> > 
> > Actually, this doesn't even need e-cash - Alice can pay regular $$$.
> > Hi Ross - if you're still on these lists, I think you'll like this.
> > 
> > ---
> > 
> > Dr.Dimitri Vulis KOTM
> > Brighton Beach Boardwalk BBS, Forest Hills, N.Y.: +1-718-261-2013, 14.4Kbps
> > 
> 
> 
> 
> 	- Igor.
> 



	- Igor.