# DDoS attack against LiveJournal... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 28, 2011, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ddos-attack-against-livejournal/590596 "2011-07-28T06:51:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ddos-attack-against-livejournal/590596/1 "2011-07-28T06:51:54Z")
It’s been going on for the past two days, at least. I wonder if it has political motivations or implications, like ones in the past supposedly were? ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ddos-attack-against-livejournal/590596/2 "2011-07-28T10:28:12Z")
I think the only way to know for sure is to separate out the Russian services from the rest of the world, and see what happens. Not a good time to be an LJer. (Come to Dreamwidth. We have cookies. And invite codes.) ---
**Author:** ![artemis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@artemis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/artemis)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ddos-attack-against-livejournal/590596/3 "2011-07-28T14:37:43Z")
I had wondered what was going on. It’s very frustrating. I’m on both LJ and DW, but not all my friends are. Plus, right now I can’t reliably cross-post anything between the two journals. I hope whoever’s conducting the DDOS attack knocks it off soon! ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ddos-attack-against-livejournal/590596/4 "2011-07-28T15:41:24Z")
I’m going to guess the Russians are at it again. Don’t ask me which activist or company pissed them off though. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ddos-attack-against-livejournal/590596/5 "2011-07-28T16:32:30Z")
It’s really pissing me off because I’m trying to moderate the Mock The Stupid queue and it keeps timing out. ARG. I was able to post an update to my journal just fine last night though. Haven’t had time to check my friends feed recently… haven’t had time for LJ much at all, recently, in fact. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ddos-attack-against-livejournal/590596/6 "2011-07-28T17:29:29Z")
It’s been going on all week. A real PITA. ---
**Author:** ![artemis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@artemis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/artemis)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ddos-attack-against-livejournal/590596/7 "2011-07-28T18:55:19Z")
> [@tumbleddown](#): > > Not a good time to be an LJer. (Come to Dreamwidth. We have cookies. And invite codes.) The problem, of course, is that Dreamwidth isn’t immune to a similar attack. If the service becomes popular enough, I fully expect whoever’s currently targeting LJ to target Dreamwidth as well. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ddos-attack-against-livejournal/590596/8 "2011-07-28T19:23:02Z")
> [@artemis](#): > > The problem, of course, is that Dreamwidth isn’t immune to a similar attack. If the service becomes popular enough, I fully expect whoever’s currently targeting LJ to target Dreamwidth as well. LJ is now owned by Russians who bought the site for the huge Russian userbase. Dreamwidth will never become as popular as LJ because it’s made itself fandom-centric, but that’s okay because that doesn’t make it a target. ---
**Author:** ![LeeshaJoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LeeshaJoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LeeshaJoy)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ddos-attack-against-livejournal/590596/9 "2011-07-28T19:54:15Z")
> [@tumbleddown](#): > > Not a good time to be an LJer. (Come to Dreamwidth. We have cookies. And invite codes.) I would, but I’m heavily involved in a roleplay community on LJ, so unless the entire 100+ membership packs up and moves with me… :smack: ---
**Author:** ![artemis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@artemis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/artemis)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ddos-attack-against-livejournal/590596/10 "2011-07-28T22:20:03Z")
> [@kushiel](#): > > LJ is now owned by Russians who bought the site for the huge Russian userbase. Dreamwidth will never become as popular as LJ because it’s made itself fandom-centric, but that’s okay because that doesn’t make it a target. Oh, I’m quite aware of who owns LJ now. (I’ve been there since before Brad sold it to SixApart.) Dreamwidth may be fandom-centric now, but there’s no reason why it would necessarily continue to remain so in the future as it grows. There’s nothing inherent about Dreamwidth that would keep the Russian userbase from migrating over to it should LJ become non-functional (although I personally don’t see it happening). And there’s nothing to keep some anti-fandom group like Warriors for Innocence from pulling the same DDOS attacks against Dreamwidth should the mood strike them. Any communal blogging platform faces the same risks, which poses a real problem: how do the site owners protect the site if some of their bloggers pick up nasty and determined enemies? I doubt the law is much help in these sorts of situations (especially if the attackers are politically powerful). ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ddos-attack-against-livejournal/590596/11 "2011-07-28T23:04:07Z")
> [@artemis](#): > > Oh, I’m quite aware of who owns LJ now. (I’ve been there since before Brad sold it to SixApart.) Dreamwidth may be fandom-centric now, but there’s no reason why it would necessarily continue to remain so in the future as it grows. There’s nothing inherent about Dreamwidth that would keep the Russian userbase from migrating over to it should LJ become non-functional (although I personally don’t see it happening). And there’s nothing to keep some anti-fandom group like Warriors for Innocence from pulling the same DDOS attacks against Dreamwidth should the mood strike them. Any communal blogging platform faces the same risks, which poses a real problem: how do the site owners protect the site if some of their bloggers pick up nasty and determined enemies? I doubt the law is much help in these sorts of situations (especially if the attackers are politically powerful). Hey fellow oldbie - I was a couple months short of a 5 digit user number and used to volunteer in support. I just don’t see Dreamwidth gathering a large non-fandom following. All the clones have pretty much tanked, except for InsaneJournal. It’s more likely that a 4chan group would DDoS it to get some lulz. But Dreamwidth has a bunch of awesome tech people working on it. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ddos-attack-against-livejournal/590596/12 "2011-07-28T23:27:33Z")
[Time Magazine](http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2063952,00.html), at least, thinks this is a deliberate attack to take LJ down because of its influence in Russia. Whodathunkit? I know LJ was sold to a Russian company years ago, and I still think of it as being mostly US-centric. \ ---
**Author:** ![artemis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@artemis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/artemis)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ddos-attack-against-livejournal/590596/13 "2011-07-29T01:03:00Z")
> [@kushiel](#): > > Hey fellow oldbie - I was a couple months short of a 5 digit user number and used to volunteer in support. > > I just don’t see Dreamwidth gathering a large non-fandom following. All the clones have pretty much tanked, except for InsaneJournal. It’s more likely that a 4chan group would DDoS it to get some lulz. But Dreamwidth has a bunch of awesome tech people working on it. I don’t think Dreamwidth is going to develop a large non-fandom following, either -but that’s because the non-fans are all on Facebook. But I think about how much LJ has changed over the years, and that makes me realize I could be wrong! And yes, 4chan represents the more likely threat. But in the larger sense, it doesn’t matter; no matter how good the Dreamwidth tech support crew is, a sustained DDOS attack might eventually overwhelm them. The vulnerability’s the same, even if Dreamwidth currently faces a lower risk. ---
**Author:** ![artemis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@artemis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/artemis)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ddos-attack-against-livejournal/590596/14 "2011-07-29T01:06:16Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > [Time Magazine](http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2063952,00.html), at least, thinks this is a deliberate attack to take LJ down because of its influence in Russia. > > Whodathunkit? I know LJ was sold to a Russian company years ago, and I still think of it as being mostly US-centric. \ No one knows the truth, but given the persistence of the attackers, a political motivation seems likely. LJ’s by far the most important blogging platform in Russia. And it’s the Russian side of LJ that’s been keeping the site alive, apparently. The English-language user base has been shrinking for the past couple of years (or so I’ve been told). ---
**Author:** ![BaneSidhe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c5a1d2/32.png) [@BaneSidhe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaneSidhe)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ddos-attack-against-livejournal/590596/15 "2011-07-29T01:25:03Z")
I’ve been on LJ since about 04 and am also on DW. I’m not a big fan of DW for some reason, and I’ve been read all the good reasons to be on DW but…dunno. Guess I’m a stubborn bunny. I like LJ and this DDoS attacks are making me have LJ withdrawl!! ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ddos-attack-against-livejournal/590596/16 "2011-07-29T13:13:35Z")
> [@kushiel](#): > > Hey fellow oldbie - I was a couple months short of a 5 digit user number and used to volunteer in support. > > I just don’t see Dreamwidth gathering a large non-fandom following. All the clones have pretty much tanked, except for InsaneJournal. It’s more likely that a 4chan group would DDoS it to get some lulz. But Dreamwidth has a bunch of awesome tech people working on it. I’ve been on LJ since 2000-06-07 and my user number is #4799. I have a lot of time and effort into LJ and I really hope this gets resolved soon! ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ddos-attack-against-livejournal/590596/17 "2011-07-29T16:17:48Z")
> [@OpalCat](#): > > I’ve been on LJ since 2000-06-07 and my user number is #4799. I have a lot of time and effort into LJ and I really hope this gets resolved soon! That’s why I don’t think of OpalCat the Doper, I think of OpalCat the LJer. I think I had seen you around LJ but never thought anything of it but then I found out you were a Doper. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ddos-attack-against-livejournal/590596/18 "2011-07-29T17:38:12Z")
All I know is that this is an epic level of lame, since I was in the middle of several updates about my epic vacation to Fiji. And I was just getting to the juicy bits about my tryst with a ukulele player. _shakes fist_ ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ddos-attack-against-livejournal/590596/19 "2011-07-29T22:29:19Z")
> [@LeeshaJoy](#): > > I would, but I’m heavily involved in a roleplay community on LJ, so unless the entire 100+ membership packs up and moves with me… :smack: So far I know of three RPGs that have moved, two from LJ, one from JF. But the hardest part is getting the players in. Getting journals for all the characters is easy-peasy if they’re willing to do the initial setup before the awesome auto-importing. > [@kushiel](#): > > LJ is now owned by Russians who bought the site for the huge Russian userbase. Dreamwidth will never become as popular as LJ because it’s made itself fandom-centric, but that’s okay because that doesn’t make it a target. Dreamwidth isn’t as fandom-centric as people seem to think, really. The first members who joined during the beta may be fannish people, but in terms of content and activity, it’s all over the map. I mod a half dozen fannish communities and a half dozen mundane communities and my mundane communities are far, far more active, by far. The most active community in my circle? Poetry. Go fig. > [@artemis](#): > > The problem, of course, is that Dreamwidth isn’t immune to a similar attack. If the service becomes popular enough, I fully expect whoever’s currently targeting LJ to target Dreamwidth as well. The last DDOS on LJ was targeted at Russian political bloggers, it’s likely this one was too. Unless a bunch of dissidents move to DW, I don’t think it’ll end up in the crosshairs. Though I will say I saw journal creation codes going out to a half dozen .ru addresses today… ---
**Author:** ![artemis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@artemis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/artemis)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ddos-attack-against-livejournal/590596/20 "2011-07-30T03:29:58Z")
> [@tumbleddown](#): > > The last DDOS on LJ was targeted at Russian political bloggers, it’s likely this one was too. Unless a bunch of dissidents move to DW, I don’t think it’ll end up in the crosshairs. Though I will say I saw journal creation codes going out to a half dozen .ru addresses today… Well, if the repeated DDOS attacks mean they can’t effectively use LJ, those Russian political bloggers are eventually going to have to move somewhere else if they wish to continue their blogging. And right now DW is probably the best known and most popular of the LJ-style alternative sites… As I said earlier in the thread, this sort of attack represents a potential threat to all blogging platforms. And I don’t think that right now there’s any effective way of dealing with it. It’s going to be a major problem in the future. (Heck, for those of us who know and love LJ, it’s a major problem right now.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ddos-attack-against-livejournal/590596.md?page=2)