I just got off the phone, and it looks like I won't be spending the weekend of December 18th in New York. All 1,300 suites at the Milford Plaza Hotel are completely booked. I never actually intended to visit, you see, but I called anyway. Confused yet?
It isn't a very big secret that a lot of rejects are using unsecured wireless networks to propagate spam. Until tonight, it didn't occur to me (although it makes perfect sense) that comment spammers could easily be doing the same thing.
Throughout the day I was hammered for ~1000 comment spams (thank you, Jay) by a single IP address (64.241.49.98) for the domain 'usa-cash-advance DOT com'. As Movable Type users likely know, comment spam usually rolls in from a variety of IP addresses for a given domain. When this one didn't, I took notice.
The IP is a part of a Savvis Communications netblock assigned to -- you guessed it -- the Milford Plaza Hotel in New York City.
I was always a little too curious for my own good, and why should tonight have been any different? I called the hotel and informed the reservation clerk that I was to be in town on December 18th. A friend and I would be attending an important conference. I asked if the hotel had a pool, was close to shopping, and by the way, is there a wireless network I could use, thank you very much? She wasn't sure about wireless, but told me that the rooms have a standard data port phone connection.
It's entirely possible that there's an unsecured wireless network for the use of hotel staff. Another possibility is that someone is phreaking access. It could be a bored employee for all that I know. I'm fairly satisfied that the source IP wasn't being spoofed and that the hotel is being used to relay spam.
Anyway, if you're worried about comment spam, you should probably consider blocking 64.241.49.* at your gateway if you have the means, or 'usa-cash-advance DOT com' if you're an MT-Blacklist user.
The real question is -- now that I'm out of a hotel room, who's going to offer up a couch so I can make that important Initech conference?
3 comments for this entry ↓
1 j // Nov 24, 2004 at 11:10 am
You know what I can't figure out? How is it that all these stupid neanderthal mafia guys can be so good at crime, and smart guys like us can suck so badly at it. :)
2 dennis // Nov 24, 2004 at 11:37 am
We just need more practice.. :)
3 Jillie // Nov 25, 2004 at 1:07 pm
I know a tree-trimming someone living in Manhatten that would be delighted to see you!
:)
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