Subject: Chat network bans Malaysian users (UK)

http://www.theregister.co.uk/990826-000018.html

Malaysian Internet users have been banned from the Undernet chat
system, following allegations that not enough is being done to stop
abuse of the Internet Chat Relay (IRC) network. 

Undernet has been quick to point out that Malaysian Net users are
not more ill-mannered than those from any other country, but lays the
blame at the feet of the country's two ISPs. 

According to a report on Newsbytes, Undernet has taken the unusual
action because the ISPs in question -- TMNet and Jaring -- failed to
comply with the IRC administrators' requests to crack down on
individuals who were abusing the system. 

The sort of abuse in question could range from spamming other users
to attempts to hack into the IRC network. 

It is common procedure for the IRC to ask ISPs to step in and
caution their users when incidents such as these occur. But according
to Undernet, the two Malaysian ISPs were slow to respond. 

As a result, Undernet banned all incoming traffic from users with a
.my domain -- the Malaysian domain. 

Two other IRC networks -- DALNet and EFnet -- have also instigated
bans against Malaysian users. 

It understood that the Jaring ISP has had its ban lifted after
contacting Undernet, but TMNet has not responded, Undernet said. 

Undernet said the source of the conflict was the "irresponsible and
unresponsive administration of the Malaysian ISPs". 

The IRC went on to say: "We are not singling out Malaysia, but it is
in general is the most abusive domain currently accessing the
Undernet. 

Malaysian IP space and resources are being used to launch denial of
service attacks and the last attack against one of our routing
servers was the straw that broke the camel's back." R 

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