What CyberExtortion Looks Like
This was still on my screen when I got home tonight, so I thought I’d show you the screenshot:
The auction, by the way, is now closed. I do not know whether that is because someone bought the site, or because these people suddenly came to their senses and decided to do the right thing.
P.S If you’re reading about the hijacking of my site for the first time, the details are here.
P.P.S. Thanks to everyone who helped out today. There has been a tremendous outpouring of support. I will try to write you all individually soon.
This must have hurt–like a sudden loss of something loved. I feel a loss–trying to imagine how you must feel.
ManlyDad (75cbfe) — 10/24/2008 @ 7:18 pmIt’s a practical thing.
Patterico, I have emailed you.
nk (5dcbab) — 10/24/2008 @ 7:28 pmYep, Patterico, that’s what domain hijacking looks like.
SPQR (26be8b) — 10/24/2008 @ 7:36 pmHope this turns out for the best.
Another Drew (b199b1) — 10/24/2008 @ 7:45 pmYou don’t want to know how I would have handled this if it had happened to me.
Trademark the name “Patterico” and “Patterico’s Pontifications”. Apply US trademark law to reclaim the domain.
Bill (9179a5) — 10/24/2008 @ 7:52 pmHm. At least the improvements by my site administrator seem to be working. We’re early on in a Hot Air link, which usually takes the site down within seconds. Not only is the site staying up, but it’s loading fast!
Patterico (cc3b34) — 10/24/2008 @ 7:57 pmComment by Patterico — 10/24/2008 @ 7:57 pm
A quirk that has appeared today…
Another Drew (b199b1) — 10/24/2008 @ 8:04 pmRead a Comment, and then click Go Back to return to main page, and the page returns to a slightly earlier time.
Have to Refresh to get to original point.
This happens repeatedly.
Shows up as different lists of Recent Comments.
Something for the techies to look at.
I think that’s a feature and not a bug, Drew. It’s serving up cached versions to certain people to minimize the workload.
I’m not *sure* about this, but I *think* it’s true.
Try clicking the top of the site and see if that’s any better. (I don’t know if it will be, but you can try it.)
Patterico (cc3b34) — 10/24/2008 @ 8:06 pmPatterico– I don’t know if you saw my earlier comment, and rest assured you have my support no matter how things ultimately shake out.
But (and I apologize in advance) I just have to ask:< if you get your domain back, would that officially make you the “master of your domain”??? 😉
[dodging tomatoes]
qdpseinfeld (f35be1) — 10/24/2008 @ 8:18 pmWhen I try going to your (proper) domain now, I get a “can’t establish a connection to the server” error. That does indeed appear to be progress. It’s unlikely that they would give up their lucrative little parking page ad racket unless somebody paid personal attention to it and was starting to think they picked the wrong victim this time around. Good luck!
PatHMV (a00c3c) — 10/24/2008 @ 8:23 pmDid you register a complaint against the company with ICANN?
BoB (4ce1c2) — 10/24/2008 @ 8:31 pm…and when THIS site is rooted due to the fact that youre running an exploitable version of wordpress, who will you blame then?
Only yourself, I hope.
whooami (69e06d) — 10/24/2008 @ 8:32 pmYes, ami, it is the victim’s fault that the theif is a theif.
JD (59c800) — 10/24/2008 @ 8:34 pmTHIEF
JD (59c800) — 10/24/2008 @ 8:34 pmWhat I said regarding THIS SITE has nothing to do with the other.. EXCEPT that it’s rather funny that someone so worried about thier site cares so little as to take upgrades seriously.
Do you even USE wordpress? I do, and I’ll bet YOU DONT. I also KNOW that patterico’s blog has been running an insecure version for quite some time. I just didnt see fit to mention it, until now.
Stick to what you know, which is how to bash and trash people that dont agree with you, and leave the software discussion to the other folks.
whooami (69e06d) — 10/24/2008 @ 8:38 pmWhy are you trying to drag the discussion off topic, whooami? This is about domain hijacking, not server insecurity.
Evil Pundit (843b74) — 10/24/2008 @ 8:43 pmEvil Pundit,
How about because I’m doing him a favor? I dunno, do you think he wants his wordpress install hacked? Maybe he doesn’t know it’s insecure.
How about you let him decide how off-topics my remarks are?
whooami (69e06d) — 10/24/2008 @ 8:48 pm16 and yet another horse’s ass POS is heard from astroturf mutant obamanation.
madmax333 (0c6cfc) — 10/24/2008 @ 8:52 pmPerhaps sedo and friends would not like it if we throw some hate mail their way. Or better yet someone sues their corrupt asses.
No, I appreciate the comment. The guy is right.
Patterico (cc3b34) — 10/24/2008 @ 8:59 pmThat wasn’t a very nice way to provide a warning, whooami. I can only assume from your attitude that you are hostile to Patterico. And you are still off-topic.
Evil Pundit (843b74) — 10/24/2008 @ 8:59 pmI’m used to people giving me useful information in rude ways.
Patterico (cc3b34) — 10/24/2008 @ 9:06 pmOf course I am hostile, I share the web with someone that cares enough to worry about his domain (perfectly fair) but doesnt see fit to keep his software current.
In case you dont know, exploited sites embolden hackers to go hunt for more sites to exploit.
As a fellow WordPress user, and as someone who makes sure that their own sites are secure — I’m hostile. You bet.
And frankly, I don’t really care if you think I’m off topic. Don’t like what Im writing, then don’t read it. You’re not the intended audience anyway.
For what its worth though, I wonder how long you would drive behind a car that only had three tires on it, before you pulled up next to the guy and angrily screamed at the guy (or gal) behind the wheel that he was a menace to everyone else on the road?
And how *more* irritated would you be if you followed the driver off the freeway and he started complaining to you about someone breaking his passenger window..
The same rules applies when it comes to these sorts of things.
I’m as sympathetic as anyone else who owns domain names.. I renewed one just yesterday.
That doesn’t mean that an upgrade isn’t in order here, or that I can’t be irritated by the fact that that it hasnt taken place yet.
whooami (69e06d) — 10/24/2008 @ 9:08 pmOf course I am hostile, I share the web with someone that cares enough to worry about his domain (perfectly fair) but doesnt see fit to keep his software current.
In case you dont know, exploited sites embolden hackers to go hunt for more sites to exploit.
As a fellow WordPress user, and as someone who makes sure that their own sites are secure — I’m hostile. You bet.
And frankly, I don’t really care if you think I’m off topic. Don’t like what Im writing, then don’t read it. You’re not the intended audience anyway.
For what its worth though, I wonder how long you would drive behind a car that only had three tires on it, before you pulled up next to the guy and angrily screamed at the guy (or gal) behind the wheel that he was a menace to everyone else on the road?
And how *more* irritated would you be if you followed the driver off the freeway and he started complaining to you about someone breaking his passenger window..
The same rules applies when it comes to these sorts of things.
I’m as sympathetic as anyone else who owns domain names.. I renewed one just yesterday.
That doesn’t mean that an upgrade isn’t in order here, or that I can’t be irritated by the fact that it hasnt taken place yet.
whooami (69e06d) — 10/24/2008 @ 9:09 pmIm sorry about the doublepost — that was unintended.
Good luck with the domain, now go upgrade WP.
whooami (69e06d) — 10/24/2008 @ 9:11 pmwhoami can’t spell.
posts double-posts.
thinks very highly of himself, indeed, and very lowly of everyone else.
is rude and off-topic.
if it walks like an obamatron, if it quacks like an obamatron, if it spins like an obamatron — then it must be an obamatron. can’t wait until misanthropes like this one win the election and proceed to try to take over society.
tee hee
NahnCee (63a096) — 10/24/2008 @ 9:27 pmwhoami warned me about an important security issue. He did so rudely, to be sure — but I’ll take a rude but critical warning over silence any day.
Thank you, whoami.
Patterico (cc3b34) — 10/24/2008 @ 9:30 pmI checked in on http://www.patterico.com and I get a site not found error.
According to whois, Sedo still controls the name servers.
They are no longer trying to profit from your site. It’s still conversion (they are interfering with your interest in the site) but it’s not as egregious.
Unfounded Speculation (4ecd4c) — 10/24/2008 @ 9:59 pmThat wasn’t a very nice way to provide a warning, whooami.
Dude, you call yourself “Evil Pundit.” Or, I should say, “Evil Pundit of Doom.”
Don’t be such a squish.
Unfounded Speculation (4ecd4c) — 10/24/2008 @ 10:03 pmUnfounded S.,
The optimist in me likes to see this as a hint of progress.
Unfortunately I was raised a pessimist. I come by it honestly.
Patterico (cc3b34) — 10/24/2008 @ 10:26 pmA cybersquatting/abusive registrar complaint may be filed with ICANN via the InterNIC site at:
unclesmrgol (0c6c8d) — 10/24/2008 @ 10:28 pmhttp://reports.internic.net/cgi/registrars/problem-report.cgi
A cybersquatting/abusive registrar complaint may be filed with ICANN via the internic site at:
http://reports.internic.net/cgi/registrars/problem-report.cgi
unclesmrgol (0c6c8d) — 10/24/2008 @ 10:29 pmExtortion seems like a stretch.
Chalk it up to “Capitalism isn’t always pretty.”
snuffles (677ec2) — 10/24/2008 @ 10:32 pmwhoami warned me about an important security issue. He did so rudely, to be sure — but I’ll take a rude but critical warning over silence any day.
Or, perhaps, “she.”
Patterico (cc3b34) — 10/24/2008 @ 10:39 pmBeware of trolls offering advice.
Sic ’em Patrick.
I talked to the WordPress guys at Blog World Expo and they couldn’t even find my blog. They are not much help.
Mike K (2cf494) — 10/24/2008 @ 10:41 pmwhoami was completely right, though. I learned the truth through other sources and I appreciate her advice.
Patterico (cc3b34) — 10/24/2008 @ 10:48 pmAnd the update is done.
Patterico (cc3b34) — 10/24/2008 @ 10:51 pmThat’s a nice price for your site name. You built value here. That’s why they are trying to sell it.
Ralph (e0eb85) — 10/24/2008 @ 10:52 pmGet yourself a more reputable administrator.
Dude, wheres my domain?
Perfect Sense (9d1b08) — 10/24/2008 @ 11:24 pmPaul, I think the “hold up” may have something to do with the information that you are making available to the public. Power places allow individuals to increase their psychic strength and thus fight off the NWO’s power grabs!
Lately i have been finding that many empowering websites like yours are having alot of “domain name problems.”
Not to worry, the of forces Light always beats the forces of darkness; it’s cosmic law, for dark is only the absence of Light. 🙂
I’m in law school now. When i finish in May’09, if you’re still having problems with these morons…i’ll do what i can to help.
NWO hater (5f53f6) — 10/24/2008 @ 11:48 pmre: empowering websites having “domain name problems”
— Just about a year ago, CrazyMeds, a well respected consumer-oriented website dealing with neurological medications and mental illness, had their longstanding (and respected) .org registration snatched by the beloved 1&1.co.uk and parked at SEDO.
They are now having to rebuild under the much less travelled .us designation.
ICANN is useless in these cases. Attempting to plead one’s case with domain snatchers or squaters or SEDO (simply a parking lot) is useless as well. Anyone who *potentially* could be at fault simply lamely claims that they didn’t receive changes of address, credit card changes, etc. and that the registration lapsed.
Welcome to the new world. It is as smarmy as the old world.
Glad you’re still up and operational.
Bridget (f0131b) — 10/25/2008 @ 3:19 amThis is the future for online communities:
hunter (131b09) — 10/25/2008 @ 5:13 amThe left will shut it down massively, a la Google in China.
Enjoy this golden age of free speech and exchange of ideas.
Its days are numbered.
The left has deemed it unacceptable.
If you haven’t already, consider buying up a couple other domains like:
pattericospontifications.com
CW Desiato (614aa7) — 10/25/2008 @ 5:57 ampattericos-pontifications.com
Hmm, I wonder if the L.A. Times will end up owning patterico.com?
Hey, might want to give a blurb about it in a couple days, when Blogrolling may be working again, so people will change the web address.
William Teach (f43026) — 10/25/2008 @ 7:19 amFinally – the liberal Boston Globe addresses ACORN:
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2008/10/25/the_vast_left_wing_fantasy/
Bunker m'en Tality (b8c7e2) — 10/25/2008 @ 7:29 amwhooami is a very rude bitch from WordPress.org support. She may know something but it’s hardly worth the pain of dealing with her.
cassandra (69a216) — 10/25/2008 @ 7:31 amI don’t know if this is even remotely related. But I did use the contact form to contact Sedo yesterday after I saw what happened to your site. I informed them that:
“It has come to my attention that the domain patterico.com has been hijacked, and that the auction you are holding for this domain is fraudulent. Please remove this auction immediately.”
As someone whose living depends entirely on these internets, us web folks have to stick together. Again, I have no idea if they’ve even so much as read the message; but if they shut down the auction pending resolution of this issue then so much the better.
Jim B (95a401) — 10/25/2008 @ 7:35 amPat
You have mail from me also.
daytrader (ea6549) — 10/25/2008 @ 8:01 amStick to what you know, which is how to bash and trash people that dont agree with you
I think you could call this commenter passive – aggressive; offering a kind of “help” but with a strong dose of ridicule. How about just offering the help without the snark?
Dmac (e30284) — 10/25/2008 @ 8:06 amwhere is ACE? Has he been aced out of his spot as well?
Typical Whte Person (9f4d2e) — 10/25/2008 @ 8:16 amI don’t get it…why would they hijack a site name like this or crazymeds? I mean, it would only take seconds for anyone to figure out that the new domain is not, for instance, Patrick’s blog.
But I am computer challenged…
Patricia (ee5c9d) — 10/25/2008 @ 8:18 amWho let the whooami bird out of its cage? I can’t imagine anyone being so unfeeling and off topic. The matter of software version obviously could have been better handled via email.
JerryT (277c65) — 10/25/2008 @ 8:21 amFWIW, I just went to the .com address and came up with a “Red Hat Enterprise Linux Test Page”.
This page is used to test the proper operation of the Apache HTTP server after it has been installed. If you can read this page, it means that the Apache HTTP server installed at this site is working properly.
And two columns, one for the General Public and one for the Website Administrator.
I have no idea if that’s a good sign or not.
kishnevi (96bdf5) — 10/25/2008 @ 8:27 am#44–I know the differences are slight, but I thought more people could tell an ACORN press release from an MSM op-ed.
kishnevi (ba7408) — 10/25/2008 @ 8:35 amI sent the following message to 1&1’s sales, support and billing addresses:
After reading about your outrageous and extortion activities by stealing the Patterico.com URL, you can be assured that I will never do any business with you.
I will be sure to advise my colleagues and friends to avoid your site like the plague.
jbenson2 (e9b80f) — 10/25/2008 @ 8:40 amCrazyMeds was pulling down $60K a year when it was at its .org domain. Now, with its links (in and outgoing) gone — bubkus. The .us domain simply isn’t as utilized.
The web world is all about name recognition. 1 & 1 grabs a site in hopes they can do a quick turn around sell before the links start to expire (and thus the income is still there for a similar, competing company).
What they don’t seem to realize is that, for places like CrazyMeds and Patterico, there ARE no similar companies to buy the site/name/links.
B (f0131b) — 10/25/2008 @ 9:02 amPatrick,
WordPress 2.7 will include an automatic update feature. For 2.6 there’s a plug in that does the same thing.
Other goodies to be included in 2.7 are sticky posts and threaded comments. Other stuff I don’t remember right now. Upgrading to 2.7 sounds like a good idea to me.
And since you like Live Preview, there’s a plugin for 2.6 that gives you that as well.
Hope you get your domain back, put the principals at SEDO etc. behind bars, and upgrade your blog safely.
Alan Kellogg (e4d258) — 10/25/2008 @ 9:16 amI just went and got a blank page.
That’s the problem with being an asshole, however helpful. People might appreciate your advice, but no one is going to invite you out for a drink.
I hope this works out for you, Patterico.
Pablo (99243e) — 10/25/2008 @ 9:20 amWell, you must have things fixed, since my site’s link to you is the old address, and it brought me here without a problem.
The demented Dana (556f76) — 10/25/2008 @ 9:25 amNot to be too paranoid, but with the increased activity the site was getting, especially by “unfriendlies” after getting national attention, any possibility it was more harassment/silencing for a time rather than monetary?
MD in Philly (3d3f72) — 10/25/2008 @ 9:41 amFrom reading the prior story, I gather that this is sedo’s fracking business model. There have got to be thousands of victims of their nefarious scheme.
#include <ianal.h>
Can you say “class action suit”? Good. Might the plaintiffs’ attorney use RICO as a tool? Their €3500 might be chump change compared to the actual and punitive damages that might be assessed against them.
The Monster (52b8ea) — 10/25/2008 @ 10:40 amComment by MD in Philly — 10/25/2008 @ 9:41 am
***paranoia alert***
This is just an evel plot by PP to rid himself of the trolls that became to infest the site.
***take meds now***
Another Drew (a9cfc2) — 10/25/2008 @ 10:47 amWhat were we talking about?
Who, other than you, would want patterico.com? The “price expectation” should take into account that patterico.com is nearly worthless without, well, Patterico.
The basis of capitalism is general law and particular contracts. sedo has violated the latter, if not the former.
Fritz (9cc64f) — 10/25/2008 @ 10:59 amI have been having a nightmare dealings with 1and1. I feel I have made a contract with Satan.
If an account has been canceled with 1and1 and you get it back all the domain renewal dates are set at the present date. This makes it impossible for you to change your renewal choice.
If you have domains listed with 1and1, and you chose to let domains expire on their renewal dates, 1and1 punishes the customer by unlocking the domains. I guess this is to make it easier for people to steal them.
Also it takes 8 separate steps, by trial and error, to even find the site to indicate your renewal choice.
I refused to pay for domains I didn’t want renewed, so they locked my account. But they keep sending me notices about domains that are coming up for renewal. I can’t access my account to stop the renewals so they keep renewing when I don’t want them.
Warth Publishing Inc (73abba) — 10/25/2008 @ 11:03 amThe demented Dana: no, it’s not fixed. See all the updates to the previous post.
Patterico (cc3b34) — 10/25/2008 @ 11:20 amWarth, #65
Patrick used his credit card to pay, his bank or credit card company will have the transaction dates. 1and1 alters their records he’s got them for tampering with evidence.
Alan Kellogg (e4d258) — 10/25/2008 @ 12:36 pmThe shame of our party…
The highest paid staffer
of the PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN
of OUR POLITICAL PARTY
is a MAKEUP ARTIST
earning the equivalent of $500k+ per year
in order to make a woman who is
ALREADY PERFECTLY BEAUTIFUL moreso.
We have truly lost our way.
FallingAngel (b8c7e2) — 10/25/2008 @ 1:32 pmI don’t have a blog or website, but I do have my own domain through network solutions and they have been good so far.
http://www.networksolutions.com/
ML (14488c) — 10/25/2008 @ 6:51 pmBefore hooking up with 1and1, check out their reputation. I curse the day I signed up with them.
Warth Publishing Inc (73abba) — 11/10/2008 @ 12:28 pmThere is one thing I am indebted to them for, now I know what hell is like.