Released on: December 28, 2007, 12:52 am

Press Release Author: SEOsHost.com

Industry: Financial

Press Release Summary: On Thursday, the 17th of November 2007, a server hosted by [
http://www.SEOsHost.com ] was targetet by a Distributed Denial of Service attack
(DDoS)

Press Release Body: Running a Web Hosting Business Discussion relating to the
operation of your web hosting business

[ http://www.SEOsHost.com ] bites the dust

22-12-2007, 03:45 PM
SEOs Connect
Company Representative
Moderator

Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: La Cross, Wisconsin
Posts: 5,144 [ http://www.SEOsHost.com ] bites the dust

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From [ http://www.SEOsHost.com ]

Quote:
To All [ http://www.SEOsHost.com ] Customers.

On Thursday, the 17th of November 2007, a server hosted by [ http://www.SEOsHost.com
] was targetet by a Distributed Denial of Service attack (DDoS), totalling more than
600Mbps in size. The attack continued on for almost 15 hours, during which time, we
had no international connectivity. Our WAIX connectivity was also taken offline for
a few hours.

During this time, we were unable to receive or make any Phone calls over our VoIP
systems, our CDB (Client DB) containing all of our client\'s contact details, which
is hosted in a secure, offsite location was also inaccessable. This attack caused
serious problems for all of our clients, due to the obvious inconveniance of having
servers/services offline for such a large duration of time. Due to the extended
period of downtime, a large majority of our core, seed customers have decided to
part ways with us, leaving us in a very uneasy position.

We have invested close to $50,000 AUD over 3 months in the new Datacenter, including
buildout costs, fibre setup and usage costs, and legal fees. With the loss of these
customers, our ability to maintain a solid income, and profit margin have been
comprimised, forcing us to sit down with Solicitors to discuss our options. To avoid
total bankrupcy, [ http://www.SEOsHost.com ] Publishing has decided it is in it\'s
best interests, for itself as a company, and for it\'s still, strong customer base to
cease opterations from our new Datacenter.

How this affects you -

1. Computer Rent to own customers (Migrated
If you currently have a Computer RTO box, and have previously paid for it partially
in NYC, or in Wisconsin, we will give you the option to buy it out at cost price. We
can host your server in Globaltek\'s datacenter also, however, a per-MB bandwidth
(non-WAIX) charge applies.

2. Colocation customers
Colocated customers will have their hardware returned, with the option of having it
colocated by [ http://www.SEOsHost.com ], in Globaltek\'s colocation facility for no
charge. Please note, a per-MB external fee applies.

3. Other rent to own Customers / Mini server Customers / Power Servers
Customers will have the option to terminate their lease of server(s) and retrieve
their server data, buy out servers, or if they are Rent to own, finalise payment and
take delivery of their equipment. We can host your server in Globaltek\'s datacenter
also, however, a per-MB bandwidth (non-WAIX) charge applies.

4. Shared cPanel Hosting Clients
All cPanel Shared clients on CP1 & CP2 will be terminated.

5. California/New York Customers - Shared Ensim Hosting
This server (EN1) will be relocated on Monday night (approx, 12am AEST), and clients
will remain operational, and there are no terminations.

6. Sponsored Sites
If your sponsored site is currently hosted by [ http://www.SEOsHost.com ], it will
be migrated to a server based in Texas.

7. Domains
Domain names will be available to be transferred to you from WEDNESDAY. A Form will
be available from this page to have your domain automatically sent to you.

8. VoIP Services / 1300 Services
All clients will remain unaffected.

Why have we not contacted anyone sooner? Why has there been a distinct lack of
communication over this issue? We did not want it to come to this. We have spent the
last 3 weeks trying to get new investors onboard, however in the fragile ISP
business, it is difficult. We grew very fast very quickly, but we also expanded too
fast. Both of these issues have led to problems, which were compounded by the DDoS
attack.

For those of you who do not believe a word we say about the DDoS attacks ruining us,
here is a little article you should read -
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4354109.stm

Please do not email our Sales or Support departments. We will contact you in regards
to the movement/changes to your account.
__________________

Web: [ http://www.SEOsHost.com ]
Tel: (414) 285-5700 x329
The 100% Wisconsin owned and operated Wisconsin Hosting Company.

SEOs Connect
View Public Profile
Visit SEOs Connect\'s homepage!
Find More Posts by SEOs Connect

Re: [ http://www.SEOsHost.com ] bites the dust
22-12-2007, 03:51 PM
Jerry
Registered User


Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 528 Re: [ http://www.SEOsHost.com ] bites the dust

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is why i dont touch wi based boxes

Jerry
View Public Profile
Find More Posts by Jerry

Re: [ http://www.SEOsHost.com ] bites the dust
22-12-2007, 04:02 PM
SEOs Connect
Company Representative
Moderator

Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: La Cross, Wisconsin
Posts: 5,144 Re: [ http://www.SEOsHost.com ] bites the dust

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quote:
Originally Posted by JunkBoy
This is why i dont touch wi based boxes

How did you come to that conclusion?

HostNet wouldn\'t have charged them for it.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I love the latency of wi boxes dont get me wrong as they are nice and fast and the
fact my provider wouldnt charge me from it is reassuring if something like this did
happen.

But secuirty wise a 10megabit cogent backbone scares me a bit, esspecially the fact
i host some high performance websites that get lots of attention.

If you could convince me that SEOsHost.com would survive such an attack and i would
move ShoShoneTech\'s wi clients there

EDIT: i understand you would get downtime, as even theplanet would get a big surge
of packet loss from such an attack but the the degree of ocktagon.

Webcentral copped a similar attack this time last year and if it wasnt the fact it
is 40 million dallor outfit it would of shared the same fate as SEOsHost.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Last edited by Jerry : 22-12-2007 at 04:12 PM.

Jerry
View Public Profile
Find More Posts by Jerry

Re: [ http://www.SEOsHost.com ] bites the dust
22-12-2007, 04:27 PM
digitalhost
digitalhost

Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: La Cross
Posts: 24 Re: [ http://www.SEOsHost.com ] bites the dust

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I find this interesting

\"4. Shared cPanel Hosting Clients
All cPanel Shared clients on CP1 & CP2 will be terminated.\"

but other types of control panel and servers are not being terminated.

\"5. Wisconsin Customers - Shared Ensim Hosting
This server (EN1) will be relocated on Monday night (approx, 12am AEST), and clients
will remain operational, and there are no terminations. \"

\"6. Sponsored Sites
If your sponsored site is currently hosted by [ http://www.SEOsHost.com ], it will
be migrated to a server based in Texas. \"

I never thought about the fact such high speed connections would make servers here
more vulnerable, our DC like most in the US suffer the occassional attack but never
anything longer than 30 minutes, if its internal they kill the server within 10
minutes usually.

But then again 2co suffered days of downtime a year or so ago in the States, just
depends on the level of attack and how well its organized I suppose.

digitalhost
View Public Profile
Visit digitalhost\'s homepage!
Find More Posts by digitalhost

Re: [ http://www.SEOsHost.com ] bites the dust
22-12-2007, 04:30 PM
Jerry
Registered User

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I would also like anyone else to convince me too, i really would like to know of a
service which has a decent level of response to such an attack as i\'ve always wanted
to base a portion of my clients in Wisconsin but have seen this as being a major
downside.

Remember your talking to a security freak who spends lots of money having his boxes
nice and secure, futhermore wont sell off a server that doesnt automatically back it
self up.

Jerry
View Public Profile
Find More Posts by Jerry

Re: [ http://www.SEOsHost.com ] bites the dust
22-12-2007, 04:33 PM
Jerry
Registered User

Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 528 Re: [ http://www.SEOsHost.com ] bites the dust

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

digitalhosts, no dc can STOP such an attack and most will go down at a decent sized
attack its all got to do with the response and dealings of the situation not just
close up shop.

In my view thats not an acceptable case and the owners of SEOsHost.com should of
done their business research a bit better before going off and setting up a flawed
business model because essentally thats what it is if they close up shop because
they didnt \"think\" it would happen to them.

Afterall they are claiming to be a datacenter

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I\'m sure they expected DDoS attacks and such, however I don\'t think they expected to
loss most of their income.

George D
View Public Profile
Find More Posts by George D

Re: [ http://www.SEOsHost.com ] bites the dust
22-12-2007, 04:49 PM
Jerry
Registered User

Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 528 Re: [ http://www.SEOsHost.com ] bites the dust

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quote:
Originally Posted by George D
I\'m sure they expected DDoS attacks and such, however I don\'t think they expected to
loss most of their income.

In my view thats still not good enough, your livleyhood is measured with computers
being dead for 15hours.

STOW = Strengths, THREATS, Opportunities, WEAKNESSES

Jerry
View Public Profile
Find More Posts by Jerry

Re: [ http://www.SEOsHost.com ] bites the dust
22-12-2007, 04:56 PM
digitalhost
digitalhost

Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: La Cross
Posts: 24 Re: [ http://www.SEOsHost.com ] bites the dust

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Without any reference to [ http://www.SEOsHost.com ] I think a lot of people are
going to be eating a lot of bad Chicken before this consolidation is over!

digitalhost
View Public Profile
Visit digitalhost\'s homepage!
Find More Posts by digitalhost

Re: [ http://www.SEOsHost.com ] bites the dust
22-12-2007, 04:56 PM
SEOs Connect
Company Representative
Moderator

Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: La Cross, Wisconsin
Posts: 5,144 Re: [ http://www.SEOsHost.com ] bites the dust

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quote:
Originally Posted by JunkBoy
If you could convince me that SEOsHost.com would survive such an attack and i would
move ShoShoneTech\'s wi clients there

WI Colocation is a business unit of SEOs Communications Pty Ltd. It\'s major business
unit is SEOs Connect, it\'s not going anywhere.

I\'ve had 4 DOS attacks against one of my servers, 3 in the US and 1 in Wisconsin and
I don\'t have clients that run anything
The Wisconsin DoS I had on the 1st in Sept 2007 took Powertel out including their
voice and data network(s) in La Cross and Boone.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quote:
Originally Posted by JunkBoy
digitalhosts, no dc can STOP such an attack and most will go down at a decent sized
attack its all got to do with the response and dealings of the situation not just
close up shop.

You can lessen the affect of an attack.

Null routing the /24 border routers upstream can cut it off, but get ready to renumber.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It\'s major business unit is SEOs Connect, it\'s not going anywhere.

How much longer then 15hours J/Ks

Jerry
View Public Profile
Find More Posts by Jerry

Re: [ http://www.SEOsHost.com ] bites the dust
22-12-2007, 05:06 PM
George D
Registered User


Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: La Cross, Wisconsin
Posts: 118 Re: [ http://www.SEOsHost.com ] bites the dust

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It\'s really a matter of protecting yourself from the really really unexpected. Some
people just can\'t think like that, or they wont put the funds in to protect against
something that far out.

George D
View Public Profile
Find More Posts by George D

Re: [ http://www.SEOsHost.com ] bites the dust
22-12-2007, 05:08 PM
Jerry
Registered User

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quote:
Originally Posted by George D
It\'s really a matter of protecting yourself from the really really unexpected. Some
people just can\'t think like that, or they wont put the funds in to protect against
something that far out.

This is the problem i find with lots of hosts, its not far out. Look at SEOs he had
4 ddos attacks in a span of 2 odd years. On avg thats 1 every 6months.



Web Site: http://www.SEOsHost.com

Contact Details: info@SEOsHost.com