View Full Version : Overclockers ???
Justsomebloke
21-01-2009, 17:46
So what's up with Overclockers forum these days ?
Slow loading, Intermittent faults, Page won't load half the time etc
I have heard through the Grapevine that t's under attack, Any truth in this ?
Looks like it but no-one there will confirm or deny. Must be losing quite a lot of revenue as the shop is down as well.
I'm sure they'll explain what's going on if they want to :)
LeperousDust
21-01-2009, 17:56
It's clearly just server side problems since everything is messing around, it'll fix itself no doubt.
Streeteh
21-01-2009, 17:57
Bleh, i wouldn't mind normally but i'm trying to fill out a RMA form with them. Every time i try it times out somewhere along the line and i have to start from scratch. Part of me is thinking they're only doing this to make sure the 28 days after my purchase have passed... :p
I'm of the opinion it may be under attack; if it was a server issue etc they would have said by now. The fact they're keeping it so hush hush indicates something more sinister is at play. The problems have been going for over a week now, surely if it was a technical issue they would have said?
I haven't been able to get on it today at all :/
It's clearly just server side problems since everything is messing around, it'll fix itself no doubt.
I doubt they would run a business critical site and the forums on the same server :) They both go down at the same time. If it was a problem with the hosting provider's peering and whatnot it would have been fixed by now unless they are completely incompetent.
Justsomebloke
21-01-2009, 18:03
I agree Streeteh, If it had been a Standard issue I "Think" a statement would have been made but as it has all been dumbed down I suspect an Anti Oc attack. An effective one by the looks of it as like you say it is far more hassle on the shop site than it is the Forum.
Must be costing them a Fortune.
Beansprout
21-01-2009, 18:28
Up and down for me too - suspect they're under attack and thus filtering IPs at switch/router level.
explains all
Over the last 10 days OcUK servers have been subject to sustained DDoS attacks that have disrupted our on-line store and forums servers. Instigating these kind of attacks is a serious criminal offence and whilst we have strong suspicions who is behind them we need more evidence.
I am offering £10,000 to anyone who can provide evidence that leads to a conviction. You can provide this information anonymously via jobs@overclockers.co.uk but the evidence must be something that SOCA (Serious Organised Crime Agency) can use.
I'd like to apologise to all our customers and forum members for any inconvenience caused. I cannot discuss what action is being taken to protect OcUK from these attacks but I assure you wheels are in motion.
In the meantime, think about what £10K could do for you right now.
The lost revenue must mount to 100's of thousands.
Kell_ee001
21-01-2009, 18:58
This (http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17967175) should answer your questions :)
Justsomebloke
21-01-2009, 19:01
Just read that & Bumped the 10k Reward bit to Front page.
A Place of Light
21-01-2009, 19:08
Must be costing them a Fortune.
When you add the £25k/year it costs to run their forum, it really must be a large sum of money.
:p
LeperousDust
21-01-2009, 19:11
Wow :D i know its bad, but it's still exciting, glad we've got our own place to talk and we don't make enemies :p ;D
I dont think its down to the hosting costs, no way would it cost £25k per year, but the amount of money and potential sales they have lost since this has been going on.
A Place of Light
21-01-2009, 19:20
I dont think its down to the hosting costs, no way would it cost £25k per year, but the amount of money and potential sales they have lost since this has been going on.
If it's true, then any attack of this type is illegal and whoever is responsible should be fined and/or jailed. Have a little mischievous fun with your online activities by all means, but costing someone money is a different ball game IMO.
However, given their less-than-honest approach in the past I'd say that it's by no means certain that a Denial attack is the cause.
Meh.
Beansprout
21-01-2009, 19:24
This (http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17967175) should answer your questions :)
Not if you can't get on the forums :D
Got a summary anyone? :)
These types of attacks are horrible and can be massive and extremely difficult to sort out :(
Edit: MSN worked.
If it's true, then any attack of this type is illegal and whoever is responsible should be fined and/or jailed. Have a little mischievous fun with your online activities by all means, but costing someone money is a different ball game IMO.
However, given their less-than-honest approach in the past I'd say that it's by no means certain that a Denial attack is the cause.
Meh.
Max sentence for instigating a DDoS attack went up to 10 years in 2006.
Someone is gonna get a royal ****ing if they get caught.
A Place of Light
21-01-2009, 19:34
Erm.. the post above that one should help ;)
Where did that information come from though?
All I see is copy and pasted text, no link.
Where did that information come from though?
All I see is copy and pasted text, no link.
It came from the link by the looks of things.
A Place of Light
21-01-2009, 19:36
Max sentence for instigating a DDoS attack went up to 10 years in 2006.
Someone is gonna get a royal ****ing if they get caught.
I have nothing against denial attacks.....unless they're against businesses/money making institutions/anything to do with commerce/customers.
Take your mates website down for a laugh.....could generate a giggle or three, but this is something far more serious.
A Place of Light
21-01-2009, 19:37
It came from the link by the looks of things.
Aren't they too busy selling mobile phones?
Aren't they too busy selling mobile phones?
Bit of an old joke there, they went bust a while back iirc ;)
A Place of Light
21-01-2009, 19:44
Bit of an old joke there, they went bust a while back iirc ;)
But you got the reference, so job done ;)
I quoted Kittens post, where she referenced post#10, which contains no link.
Capiche?
I didn't notice Kelly posting the actual link under it.
In reply, it's hardly solid evidence to show someone isn't telling porky pies by providing evidence from the same person is it?
I'm not a liar, because I said so.
Doesn't really stand up, does it?
Note, I'm not saying it is a falsehood.....I'm simply pointing out that just because this is the reason given it may not be true.
semi-pro waster
21-01-2009, 19:50
I'm not that interested in how it is being done but I am more than a little curious as to who'd be petty enough to go to these lengths, surely people can't hold such serious grudges over either the forums or the shop?
I'm confused :/
I gave Beany the post above because it had C&P text and he said he couldn't get onto OCUK, so a link would have been kind of pointless I think.
I'm assuming APOL is just being deliberately obtuse out of boredom or something :p
Pumpkinstew
21-01-2009, 19:51
In reply, it's hardly solid evidence to show someone isn't telling porky pies by providing evidence from the same person is it?
I'm not a liar, because I said so.
Doesn't really stand up, does it?
Note, I'm not saying it is a falsehood.....I'm simply pointing out that just because this is the reason given it may not be true.
I'm lost. Was that a confession?
Apol dunnit!
W00t! 10K for me \o/:cool:
A Place of Light
21-01-2009, 19:52
I'm confused :/
I gave Beany the post above because it had C&P text and he said he couldn't get onto OCUK, so a link would have been kind of pointless I think. He asked for a summary, that post had one and having the link open in another window, I knew it was the same info as on the OCUK post. :huh:
It's all good now, as Kelly posted a link to the text anyway :)
If anyone, i'd guess someone from a looooong time ago with a very serious grudge. I don't want to name names for obvious reason but the 'obvious' recent suspect I don't think is even remotely a possibility, it would be stupid, far too soon. I'm also not really sure whether he would even know how to / where to go to get this sort of thing done anyway. You can't exactly google it.
A Place of Light
21-01-2009, 19:56
I'm lost. Was that a confession?
Apol dunnit!
W00t! 10K for me /:cool:
Lol.
I'm all for mischief, but I draw the line at costing a company money. That, and the inconvenience their customers are having.
As I said, if it IS an attack then I hope the full weight of the law is directed at the culprit.
Committing online crime is fairly easy, but covering your tracks is not.....far from it in fact.
A Place of Light
21-01-2009, 19:57
I'm assuming APOL is just being deliberately obtuse out of boredom or something :p
For a moment, I'd have sworn you'd typed deliberately obese.
Talk about doing a double take ;)
A Place of Light
21-01-2009, 19:58
OK :D
I capiche ;)
Great.
Now I'm going to end up with a horses head in my bed, aren't I?
:p
SidewinderINC
21-01-2009, 20:03
Great.
Now I'm going to end up with a horses head in my bed, aren't I?
:p
That's your wife ;)
I kid, I kid.
Regardless of what type of grudge you may hold, costing somebody their livelihood is going too far IMO. It's not just one person you're affecting either. There are plenty that work at OcUK.
Regardless of what type of grudge you may hold, costing somebody their livelihood is going too far IMO. It's not just one person you're affecting either. There are plenty that work at OcUK.
Agreed, it could end up costing people the attacker has no grudge with to lose a job or be offered a 10% pay cut ;)
I hope they do manage to catch the person/s doing it but I doubt it.
Regardless of what type of grudge you may hold, costing somebody their livelihood is going too far IMO. It's not just one person you're affecting either. There are plenty that work at OcUK.
I suppose it depends on who it is and why they're doing it. It could very easily be someone for whom an RMA went badly for a long time ago and got treated like **** (which wouldn't exactly be a shock) who has a grudge against the entire company and the people who work for it.
It could just as easily be someone with no real axe to grind other than being a dick.
I don't think we, or OcUK will ever find out anyway.
jesus its been a long time since i loaded that page up - they've got with the times and finally got a support forum!!!
A Place of Light
22-01-2009, 00:30
That's your wife ;)
I kid, I kid.
I can assure you that you are most definitely NOT my kid.
;)
A Place of Light
22-01-2009, 00:32
i probably couldn't reach up to a horses head :p
How about a shetland pony? I could manage a shetland pony ;D
If I had my bag of double entendres with me right now, I'd behaving a field day ;)
A Place of Light
22-01-2009, 00:35
I hope they do manage to catch the person/s doing it but I doubt it.
If they have involved plod, then I'll be surprised if they don't.
As I said previously, it is incredibly difficult to cover your tracks completely. I suppose it depends how much of a priority the police put on cyber crime nowadays.
If I had my bag of double entendres with me right now, I'd behaving a field day ;)
Is that a non sequitur, or just a missing space? :p
Anyway, been happening on and off for well over a week now. Usually DDoS attacks last a few hours, or a day. Someone must really have a problem to sustain an attack this long.
Attacks on a friend's site or whatever are an annoyance. Attacking a company, and indirectly the livelihood of every employee working there, just isn't on.
Involving plod is no guarantee. The 'proper' hackers who do this sort of thing for a living (usually based in Russia and various other countries with rather chaotic legal systems) know how to cover their tracks. Suspicion doesn't get you a conviction.
A Place of Light
22-01-2009, 00:51
Involving plod is no guarantee. The 'proper' hackers who do this sort of thing for a living (usually based in Russia and various other countries with rather chaotic legal systems) know how to cover their tracks. Suspicion doesn't get you a conviction.
That's an interesting point, as I was talking from the perspecitve that it's down to someone in the UK with a grudge against them personally.
If they're based somewhere like Russia-ski then the legal standpoint is weakened considerably.
Just had an email from OCuk saying that they are having difficulties with the website and here are all our contact phone numbers if you want to get hold of us. :) (shop numbers that is not personal)
That's an interesting point, as I was talking from the perspecitve that it's down to someone in the UK with a grudge against them personally.
If they're based somewhere like Russia-ski then the legal standpoint is weakened considerably.
Anyone with an ounce of sense wouldn't be doing it themselves, they'll have 'employed' some russian or korean to do it. If they were, I suspect someone with the ability to create a bot net big enough to take down OcUK themselves can probably cover their tracks pretty well too.
What makes it hard to trace either way though, is the fact that none of the attacks will be made from the perpetrators PC, so even if they somehow managed to identify the bot net etc. it's a whole new task again to link that to an individual.
Which is why he's offering up £10k for someone to grass something helpful I suspect, he knows full well he probably can't trace them and this time, I doubt Donal Murphy will be much help :p
Chuckles
22-01-2009, 01:30
Which is why he's offering up £10k for someone to grass something helpful I suspect, he knows full well he probably can't trace them and this time, I doubt Donal Murphy will be much help :p
Thing is, even if the person gets grassed up, it isn't going to help secure a conviction. For the reasons you gave above, it would be near impossible to conclusive prove the persons guilt using evidence.
Might be enough to send in the plod and get a forensic analysis of their PC though. Russian dude may know how to cover his tracks, but does the guy hiring him?
Thing is, even if the person gets grassed up, it isn't going to help secure a conviction. For the reasons you gave above, it would be near impossible to conclusive prove the persons guilt using evidence.
Indeed.
A bot net based DDoS attack is almost the perfect crime really, as you'd have to do something exceptionally stupid to link yourself to it to such a degree.
Chuckles
22-01-2009, 02:10
Might be enough to send in the plod and get a forensic analysis of their PC though. Russian dude may know how to cover his tracks, but does the guy hiring him?
True, but I'd classify using your home PC to perpetrate the crime as a pretty major mistake!
Organise it through a cybercafe, library etc and it'd be impossible to prove. Even on a laptop on a wifi hotspot or unsecured wireless on a hard drive which is subsequently trashed would be good enough.
DDoS's are an absolute pain to deal with. If you're lucky they come from an identifiable network / AS, but more often than not they're from everywhere and it's mother. Most bot nets used are triggered from various almost entirely anonymous sources. Older ones listen in on certain IRC channels, others check a set of servers, a list of which can be updated on the fly should the crackers feel under threat.
One of the customers at my previous job came under what could loosely be described as a DDoS. They're a major e-bay based used car company running their own server / website that gets a fair amount of business on a daily basis. For whatever reason someone decided to target them. There was nothing obvious going on other than that the server was running a bit hard. They reported the server running slow and I must admit it took us a while of head scratching (probably an hour) before I thought to check the network usage graphs, after which a quick tcpdump+wireshark revealed one (Swedish) ISP's network as being the source of 90% of the traffic. Filtered at egress to our network and all became well with customers box.
Others of our customers weren't so lucky. About all you can do is stick a riverhead (or similar) device to sit and look at the traffic and hope it can learn to spot the good and the bad. They're usually pretty good at it, but there is only so much you can achieve.
Justsomebloke
22-01-2009, 06:29
How Frustrating must it be for Spie though, Untold wealth, Superb business, Fantastic Forums & Social side & some little unknown pulls it to bits using a Keyboard.
The term Keyboard Warrior doesn't sound so Light now.
In the back of my mind I am worried for those that work there, With the economy skidding along the floor on its arse I would have thought every single business out there needs every single customer they can get. How long can OcUK be viable as a business if customers cannot access the site to order.
Having wrote that I do get the feeling that Mark is the kind of chap that would fight tooth & nail to sort it even to the detroment of himself & the business. Kind of a I don't care what it costs or what I lose I am sticking it out & no **** is beating me sort of thing.
The Bloke/Shop/Forums has my Full support as Always.
10K reward.... Must have cost them a fortune then.
Well I love a good forum scandal, me. As I've got the day to kill I've been reading around a bit, didn't have to look very far, and looks like there's a lot of **** flying around again. It amazes me that a lot of people have so much time to waste.
It's a shame that they keep coming under attack in one way shape or form. Maybe another consideration it isn't previous customer or former use. Maybe Mark or one of the staff at OcUK have upset somebody outside the world of OcUK and this is there way of exacting retribution.
It seems to be a bit too persistent and methodical for it to have gone on for a week for somebody with a grudge about an RMA or something which is pretty low key in comparison.
He's checked that he hasn't been digged yer?
Streeteh
22-01-2009, 11:34
It seems to be a bit too persistent and methodical for it to have gone on for a week for somebody with a grudge about an RMA or something which is pretty low key in comparison.
Hell hath no fury like a geek scorned.
leowyatt
22-01-2009, 11:39
He hasn't Pete :)
Hell hath no fury like a geek scorned.
lol
Made The Register...
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/01/22/ocuk_ddos_reward/
It's all over the net. Tell me about Shoe Vomit then, what's all that about?...
Invite only version of the SPS because people got sick of the increasing levels of spam on the SPS.
It's all over the net. Tell me about Shoe Vomit then, what's all that about?...
Its just like here but with porn.
Invite only version of the SPS because people got sick of the increasing levels of spam on the SPS.
All they need to do is ban Bakez and 99% of the spam will stop :)
Justsomebloke
22-01-2009, 14:28
It would take a considerable outlay of money and effort to mount a week-long attack, so we can speculate that the perpetrators either have a serious beef against OcUK or they are attempting to mount a blackmail scam. Either way this would help OcUK to narrow down the list of potential suspects
Interesting.
Anybody know what sort of cost we are talking ???
Its just like here but with porn.
Not that much. But I'm working on it. :****:
Streeteh
22-01-2009, 19:05
Under attack again...
These attacks have prompted loads of people blaming OcUKs terrible customer service creating many alienated customers. I haven't actually received anything but fantastic service from them and am curious as to whether this is people just kicking up stink or if there is any truth to these allegations?
People making these claims is forcing me to think more carefully about who to buy the parts from for my next big upgrade...
the_dead_parrot
22-01-2009, 19:14
Under attack again...
These attacks have prompted loads of people blaming OcUKs terrible customer service creating many alienated customers. I haven't actually received anything but fantastic service from them and am curious as to whether this is people just kicking up stink or if there is any truth to these allegations?
People making these claims is forcing me to think more carefully about who to buy the parts from for my next big upgrade...
I have bought lots and lots of parts from ocuk over the years and never had any problems with them personally. They can be a little more expensive but the service has always been good for me. For example today I ordered 4gb of ram (when the website worked) ordered at 7:43 dispatched at 9:35 and free delivery aswell! That seems to be the way all my orders go. You are always going to get people complain about the service they recieve especially with such a big online store, also having the forum makes it easy to try and complain... until the posts get deleted. Whoever is doing these attacks is serious about disrupting the website and clearly with the length of the attack feel safe that they wont get caught.
It did use to be pretty poor, the main problem was not getting stuffsorted out. But just getting through to someone. But they've add many more phones and other methods in the last few years.
However I would be surprised if it was a customer. much more likely to be an ex forum member. You just have to look at the hatred that some of these people show..
It did use to be pretty poor, the main problem was not getting stuffsorted out. But just getting through to someone. But they've add many more phones and other methods in the last few years.
However I would be surprised if it was a customer. much more likely to be an ex forum member. You just have to look at the hatred that some of these people show..
It's a disproportionate response if so, but you can bet there are plenty of people enjoying the schadenfreude. Their competitors must be rubbing their hands, also (although if this is actually a random Ruskie group, they could be next).
A Place of Light
22-01-2009, 19:31
I've ordered many times from the blue place, and have never had a single "issue" at all.
I always thought their delivery charges were a little steep in the past though, bit this has been addressed now.
Under attack again...
These attacks have prompted loads of people blaming OcUKs terrible customer service creating many alienated customers. I haven't actually received anything but fantastic service from them and am curious as to whether this is people just kicking up stink or if there is any truth to these allegations?
People making these claims is forcing me to think more carefully about who to buy the parts from for my next big upgrade...
The trouble is, when things go bad with OcUK, they often go a lot worse than other places. I remember specifically one guy who had so many issues with them he went to Watchdog at PC Zone and OcUK just threatened to sue him and PC Zone rather than do the decent thing and just sort it out. There are countless other stories in a similar vein too, which is where the bad rep comes from.
Beansprout
22-01-2009, 19:41
Perhaps my IP is in a range which has been used in the attack as I've essentially been unable to get on the site at all the past week or so....how much has it been down for those here?
Perhaps my IP is in a range which has been used in the attack as I've essentially been unable to get on the site at all the past week or so....how much has it been down for those here?
A hell of a lot..
It's been getting attacked for over a week now. Been down most of that time.
Von Smallhausen
22-01-2009, 20:14
I don't condone such attacks and reject them fully but I am curious as to whether Spie believes that SOCA would take an interest ?
Blighter
22-01-2009, 20:24
I don't condone such attacks and reject them fully but I am curious as to whether Spie believes that SOCA would take an interest ?
If not then I'm sure Cricket will lend a hand.
Perhaps my IP is in a range which has been used in the attack as I've essentially been unable to get on the site at all the past week or so....how much has it been down for those here?
I was thinking the same thing. On my main PC It wouldn't load in firefox at all, just constantly timed out however it was working in IE and on other PC's.
I've had some good service and some poor service from OcUK. If I need something desparately I can always rely on them to send out something slightly overpriced and I get it the next day (Good post office) but for the bulk purchases it just costs too much.
I'm still a motherboard down from an RMA that went wrong, but that took long enough it wasn't worth the fight and I had no use for a second motherboard. Still it is not right to take down someone elses business like this at all, if you don't like a service, don't use it.
I can say that I have spent a fair bit at OcUK both for personal and business use and have never had a problem with any order. Nothing has broken down or failed so have never had to RMA an item.
Bottom line is that it is more expensive than some other places, the store could do a lot better in terms of merchandising and presentation. So if you don't shop around then thats your choice and them the breaks. But I think what makes the difference is the community thats goes with it. I don't think Scan, Aria, eBuyer et al comes anywhere near close to creating the community that is at the blue place.
I hope it genuinely does get sorted because you get the impression someone or some group really is twisting the knife. The longer it goes on the more it looks like OcUK have lost control which is never good for business or customer confidence.
I don't think Scan, Aria, eBuyer et al comes anywhere near close to creating the community that is at the blue place.
But they don't have a boss who can f*ck the sense of community all up several times a year....
Beansprout
22-01-2009, 22:32
Whoever's mounting this attack must have substantial resources to be pulling it off. I've not seen much like this for a while.
The fact that UK IPs are being blocked indicates it's working via a worm, perhaps that new recently-vastly-growing botnet that made the BBC site the other day.
Using UK systems of course maximises damage as that's where virtually all the legitimate customers are :(
Edit: Though perhaps I'm just unlucky and currently have a fubar'd IP, since I can access it ok elsewhere most of the time. Come on Virgin, give me a new IP....
But they don't have a boss who can f*ck the sense of community all up several times a year....
I agree to an extent and I have made my comments very clear in the past. I don't necessarily agree with the way some of the Dons and more illustrious members walk on egg shells with there "Yes Boss, No Boss, 3 bags full Boss" attitude. Its sycophantic to the point of being nauseating.
That said a bit of perspective is needed, if you get booted off OcUK or whatever then is it good enough reason to try and take down somebodies liveliehood or that of it's staff ??? Absolutely not.
Justsomebloke
23-01-2009, 00:04
That said a bit of perspective is needed, if you get booted off OcUK or whatever then is it good enough reason to try and take down somebodies liveliehood or that of it's staff ??? Absolutely not.
That's what bothers me mate, Threatening a Dudes livelyhood is well out of order but to threaten a number of peoples & a community is very poor form.
If anybody has a problem with him he is not hard to find, Those that don't go to find him & hide in there bedrooms attacking the shop have no spines.
Bottom line is that it is more expensive than some other places, the store could do a lot better in terms of merchandising and presentation. So if you don't shop around then thats your choice and them the breaks. But I think what makes the difference is the community thats goes with it. I don't think Scan, Aria, eBuyer et al comes anywhere near close to creating the community that is at the blue place.
That community is a boon and a curse. I've no doubts in my mind that it'll be bringing in nice bits of traffic to OcUK and orders through the shop, but that attachment also has the potential to backfire when things don't go in individuals ways, no matter how reasonable or unreasonable said ways actually are.
Think about the number of completely justified bannings on OcUK over the years from people who then get really pissed off. That said, I doubt many of those would have the resources or money to shell out on a week long DDoS.
I think this is either some scam thing waiting to extort money or he has really pissed off the wrong people. Which would point to off the forums and in his private life. I can't see many people having the resources to do this on ocuk. Not unless we really have a worm writer who has turned his botnet on them for free?
Think about the number of completely unjustified bannings on OcUK over the years from people who then get really pissed off.
Fixed ;)
That's what bothers me mate, Threatening a Dudes livelyhood is well out of order but to threaten a number of peoples & a community is very poor form.
If anybody has a problem with him he is not hard to find, Those that don't go to find him & hide in there bedrooms attacking the shop have no spines.
But then we don't and never will be privy to the whole story, who knows what he or they may or may not have done to someone to cause this. This could range from a pissed off forum member, to a russian hacking game, to someone OcUK screwed out of a lot of money etc. etc.
For all we know, the person responsible may even have a vaguely valid reason for doing it but of course we'd never find out because OcUK would never say if that was the case and the perpetrator is never going to go public himself.
Edit: Though perhaps I'm just unlucky and currently have a fubar'd IP, since I can access it ok elsewhere most of the time. Come on Virgin, give me a new IP....
If you can get out of that particular /24 (or so) it might work again. UK IPs are definitely involved and blocked (confirmed by an admission in another thread that parts of PlusNet had been blackholed).
I've seen a few of these sort of things form the edges and occasionally the inside - from ex-members creating 50+ accounts (and then branching out to a one-man DoS because we got so good at catching him) to forum splits dating back as far as TPR and DD. Never seen anything quite like this though.
A Place of Light
23-01-2009, 19:12
Fixed ;)
Nice touch ;)
Beansprout
24-01-2009, 22:22
If you can get out of that particular /24 (or so) it might work again. UK IPs are definitely involved and blocked (confirmed by an admission in another thread that parts of PlusNet had been blackholed).
I've seen a few of these sort of things form the edges and occasionally the inside - from ex-members creating 50+ accounts (and then branching out to a one-man DoS because we got so good at catching him) to forum splits dating back as far as TPR and DD. Never seen anything quite like this though.
Have resorted to using my 3G USB stick :D
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