Live data from Hacker News

I brought down a scamming operation with 15 bytes of PHP

news.ycombinator.com

21–30 of 52 posts

Re: I brought down a scamming operation with 15 bytes of PHP

#21
post #14
post #7

This is well-meant, but the author seems to be based in Italy, and this is illegal in Italy [1]. I know how tempting it is to retaliate against these people, but you have to stay on the right side of the law. If you choose not to stay on the right side of the law, then at a minimum you really should avoid blogging about your crimes. [1] https://iclg.com/practice-areas/cybersecurity-laws-and-regul...

I think he took the hint and removed the post.

[deleted]

Re: I brought down a scamming operation with 15 bytes of PHP

#22
post #7

This is well-meant, but the author seems to be based in Italy, and this is illegal in Italy [1]. I know how tempting it is to retaliate against these people, but you have to stay on the right side of the law. If you choose not to stay on the right side of the law, then at a minimum you really should avoid blogging about your crimes. [1] https://iclg.com/practice-areas/cybersecurity-laws-and-regul...

Author here. I did wrong. And I'm sorry I didn't stay on the right side of the law.

I advise against doing the thing I did. I know it can be found on archive.org.

I removed the post so people don't follow it for "guidance" on how to break the law. Sorry to everyone.

I wish I could remove this post from hacker news. It is a dark page for me today.

Re: I brought down a scamming operation with 15 bytes of PHP

#23
Removing the Apache config was a bit anticlimactic considering that the thing the OP did is illegal itself.

If you are after a vigilante justice, I would suggest doing something substantial like exposing the identities or tipping of the authorities and most importantly: don't reveal your own identity. Back in the day when the internet was mostly a lawless place you could have done something like that and recoup the clout and be the hero of the people but that's not the case anymore.

Re: I brought down a scamming operation with 15 bytes of PHP

#24
post #4

This is funny but : you are breaking the law and this could backfire spectacularly.

Author here. I did wrong. And I'm sorry I didn't stay on the right side of the law. I advise against doing the thing I did. I know it can be found on archive.org. I removed the post so people don't follow it for "guidance" on how to break the law. Sorry to everyone. I wish I could remove this post from hacker news. It is a dark page for me today.

Re: I brought down a scamming operation with 15 bytes of PHP

#25
post #23

Removing the Apache config was a bit anticlimactic considering that the thing the OP did is illegal itself. If you are after a vigilante justice, I would suggest doing something substantial like exposing the identities or tipping of the authorities and most importantly: don't reveal your own identity. Back in the day when the internet was mostly a lawless place you could have done something like that and recoup the c…

Author here. I did wrong. And I'm sorry I didn't stay on the right side of the law. I advise against doing the thing I did. I know it can be found on archive.org. I removed the post so people don't follow it for "guidance" on how to break the law. Sorry to everyone. I wish I could remove this post from hacker news. It is a dark page for me today.

Re: I brought down a scamming operation with 15 bytes of PHP

#26
post #17

Well, I am no member of law enforcement organisation, but I was really hoping to read that. Does anyone have a copy, by chance?

Author here. I did wrong. And I'm sorry I didn't stay on the right side of the law. I advise against doing the thing I did. I know it can be found on archive.org. I removed the post so people don't follow it for "guidance" on how to break the law. Sorry to everyone. I wish I could remove this post from hacker news. It is a dark page for me today.

Re: I brought down a scamming operation with 15 bytes of PHP

#27
post #3

> I brought down a scamming operation This seems like clickbait. Being told your server's Apache config has been deleted and you need to recreate it is barely an inconvenience for a scammer whose operation probably brings home much more cash than the hour it will take them to get back to normal ops... Why would you even tell them what you did to their server in the first place?

Author here. I did wrong. And I'm sorry I didn't stay on the right side of the law. I advise against doing the thing I did. I know it can be found on archive.org. I removed the post so people don't follow it for "guidance" on how to break the law. Sorry to everyone. I wish I could remove this post from hacker news. It is a dark page for me today.

Re: I brought down a scamming operation with 15 bytes of PHP

#28
post #11

where should I contact Italian authority? there's this malicious person who damages other people's property without legal justification.

Author here. I did wrong. And I'm sorry I didn't stay on the right side of the law. I advise against doing the thing I did. I know it can be found on archive.org. I removed the post so people don't follow it for "guidance" on how to break the law. Sorry to everyone. I wish I could remove this post from hacker news. It is a dark page for me today.

Re: I brought down a scamming operation with 15 bytes of PHP

#29
post #11

where should I contact Italian authority? there's this malicious person who damages other people's property without legal justification.

Quick, someone is jaywalking, call the police!

Apparently such an odd "crime" (banning people from walking in a public place) exists in some countries, where is seems you will have half a dozen armed police officers wrestle you to the ground for such an action.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/6251431.stm

Re: I brought down a scamming operation with 15 bytes of PHP

#30
post #22
post #7

This is well-meant, but the author seems to be based in Italy, and this is illegal in Italy [1]. I know how tempting it is to retaliate against these people, but you have to stay on the right side of the law. If you choose not to stay on the right side of the law, then at a minimum you really should avoid blogging about your crimes. [1] https://iclg.com/practice-areas/cybersecurity-laws-and-regul...

Author here. I did wrong. And I'm sorry I didn't stay on the right side of the law. I advise against doing the thing I did. I know it can be found on archive.org. I removed the post so people don't follow it for "guidance" on how to break the law. Sorry to everyone. I wish I could remove this post from hacker news. It is a dark page for me today.

FWIW, I don't think you should worry too much.

I'm not at all familiar with the Italian justice system, but it's hard to imagine that anyone is going to investigate this case unless the injured party complains -- which they aren't going to do, because they were committing a crime themselves at the time.

Just let this post drop away, learn from it, move on. Don't let it spoil your day.

Post reply on HN