[oclug] Check out this log

[Brad Barnett]

On 20 Nov 2003 16:33:22 -0500
Rod Giffin <rod at giffinscientific.com> wrote:

> On Thu, 2003-11-20 at 16:06, Matthew Wilcox wrote:
> > On Thu, Nov 20, 2003 at 03:42:07PM -0500, Jon Earle wrote:
> > > What use is ping across the internet?  On a local network,
> > > indispensable(for testing, etc).  Across an ocean, I think not very
> > > useful.
> > 
> > Speak for yourself.  I like to be able to diagnose which host on the
> > route to my email is sucking.  Maybe I can bounce around it if it's
> > in the right place.  Or maybe I know whether to bitch to my ISP or the
> > owner of the box.
> 
> Perhaps, but there are better and more reliable tools than ping for this
> kind of diagnosis.  Also, especially mail servers I usually configure to
> ignore ping requests anyway.


Ping is not the weak point, however, therefore blocking it does nothing
useful.

Since we're entering the age of "everyone blocks the same thing", due to
large ISPs taking actions en mass, the removal of ping will only cause the
next exploit to not rely on it.  Furthermore, the removal of ping does not
hide a server behind a firewall, it just makes discovery more
entertaining.

Automated tools have since replaced such tasks, so we're back at square
one.  

I'm going to carry a large sign around:

BLOCK BLOCKING!

Which of course will encourage many to ask what the hell I am protesting. 
I hope you feel for those people, as I'm sure you can envision me talking
for hours, following said people, as they try to escape their new found
"bringer of pain". ;)