GitHub code repository rocked by 'very large DDoS' attack

San Francisco–based GitHub, the online repository popular among software developers, suffered a major service outage on Thursday morning due to what it characterizes as a "very large DDoS attack." GitHub status page reporting major DDoS attack This major attack follows a similar one on August 4th The outage was first …

[Destroy All Monsters]

... beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men.

DDoS attacks are frequently used by hackers as a way of probing vulnerabilities in a site

Some probe. "probing" is more like "flattening" in this case.

I want the dox of those guys. And a shotgun.

[Brad Ackerman]

Re: ... beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men.

If by "shotgun" you mean "B61 thermonuclear device", I'm with you. And if spammers are involved, we should see what sort of quantity discounts Pantex has on offer.

Because it's the only way to be sure.

[g e]

Re: ... beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men.

From orbit. Natch.

[Anonymous Coward]

This is what happens when you use Linux.

[Anonymous Coward]

People DDoS'd GitHub because I use Linux? I had no idea my decisions had such significance. I'd better remain anonymous so as to protect my family.

[g e]

Just to think

If you're AC you never know if your identity has been uncovered.

Now you'll have to be frightened of anyone with beards and/or sandals (with socks) every single time you venture out or the doorbell rings...

Mind you. Do bridges have doorbells under them these days? Or doors?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Just to think

Are you implying that I'm homeless and live under a bridge? That's ridiculous! You can't get a good Wi-fi signal under the bridge!

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Just to think

Is Richard Stallman really that frightening? :(

I don't think he means to be...

[Anonymous Coward]

It has been implied that the DDoS is people voicing their disgust at Torvalds' abusive behaviour.

[Destroy All Monsters]

Pretty bad trolling, or a guy who doesn't understand that github is not git or Linux.

[Chewi]

...and that Linux kernel development generally isn't even conducted on GitHub.

I don't host much of my own code on GitHub but I didn't realise just how much I rely on it until today.

[Charles Manning]

Unfortunately...

He's probably on the right track... Some of our evil brothers don't quite use the same brand of logic as normal people.

The morons DDossing github probably think that attacking github is a way to have a go at Linux and git, and, maybe even Google (coz they use git and Linux too).

[Vociferous]

It IS a bit puzzling.

Who'd have it in for Github?

Hm... Would some of those closed source projects by any chance be anti-spam (spamhaus?) projects? Has that utter cunt Kamphuis been released from prison? He's just the kind of sociopath jerkoff who'd do something like this. If it is the kiddie-porn-peddler-spam-host-and-russian-mob-money-launderer Kamphuis who is behind this, we'll soon know about it - he can't take a shit without bragging about it to the media.

[Anonymous Coward]

Sven Olaf Kamphuis ?

Evil genus pictured here and here ...

[two00lbwaster]

Re: It IS a bit puzzling.

I take it that he's not on your Christmas card list then? :-)

[g e]

Re: It IS a bit puzzling.

Someone probably wants access to some user accounts for some sourcecode most likely, to attempt to inject something unpleasant into it without being detected.

So, likely not the NSA as they'd just put in an order for the data.

[NomNomNom]

How do DOS attacks help probe for vulnerabilities?

[Anonymous Coward]

I don't understand that either. I could see if you flat out hammered it, I mean HAMMERED it, otherwise you wouldn't slow it down enough. However, that is apparently not what is happening being they're functional. The fact they are continuing it to a service like Git seems odd, almost too kiddie.

[streaky]

In days of yore when DDoSing alleged security businesses some of their servers starting spewing out data they shouldn't have, so these kids - and they are kids - think every server will do the same thing.

[d3rrial]

'How do DOS attacks help probe for vulnerabilities?'

Just speculating here, but maybe the DDoS is causing the Servers to use a lot of RAM, Cache and CPU-time increasing the likelihood of a stack/buffer-overflow?

[streaky]

Erm

"an outage has a major effect on the developer community"

Does it though really? Didn't have *any* effect on me.

[Stretch]

Deserved.

Fucking git, useless fucking stupid dumb ass idiotic crap. svn ftw.

[Brent Longborough]

Re: Deserved.

OK, if you love svn, you'll *really* enjoy something even newer and more modern -- cvs!

[John 104]

Safe in the 'Cloud'

Our shop uses git for code repository. Mostly because someone thinks its 'neato' and 'everyone is doing it'.

As a security minded sysadmin I think it is the biggest, most idiotic thing in the world to put your closed source, private business software out in the cloud so that it can be subjected to any number of vulnerability probes, DDoS attacks, or what ever the flavor of the week is. This puts your customers at risk, and puts your company at risk by putting your business critical source code in the hands of those who have nothing to do with your money making and assure you that it is secure.

I'm all for cloud storage of..., no, wait, no I'm not. I'm to paranoid to put ANYTHING out there. Pictures, letters, documents, you name it, I'll keep it close to the chest at all times when it comes to my personal data thank you very much.

Mines the one with the bag of popcorn in it.

[Jordan 1]

Re: Safe in the 'Cloud'

Since when is GitHub part of "the cloud."

[Anonymous Coward]

@ Jordan 1 Re: Safe in the 'Cloud'

Since the moment your data is no longer in your possession.