[AusNOG] Understanding lack of Aus connectivity to melbournefreeuniversity.org.

Sat Apr 13 11:08:08 EST 2013

As an outsider, this block appears to have been terribly executed. 

Presuming there is a single site or at most a few that are the cause of the block, over 1000 other sites have had their business or welfare interrupted. Blocked since at least Wednesday according to the MFU facebook page. 

I’ll leave whether transparency of filtering is appropriate or not, but it is clear from this event that the process at least needs to be if we are to have any form of confidence one of us or our clients are going to be safe from disappearing inappropriately.

If the party responsible for implementing the filter was a commercial business, there would be some significant repercussions. It is entirely reasonable that the government be subject to the same level of expectations. 

1.       Was any communication attempted with the hosting provider to target the site?

2.       Was any communication initiated with other parties that might be affected?

3.       Will there be reasonable compensation provided to the inadvertently affected parties, including the hosting provider assuming they have not contributed to the pain?

4.       If MFU was not affected, how would an inappropriately affected client know and how would they see it released?

It is a stretch to think that secrecy was required for some reason (a police or ASIO sting operation etc) in the filters implementation, but even if that was the case, an appropriate transparent policy could still provide avenues for official query and resolution.

It is logical that the members of this list at least notified of the policy as we are the ones that will need to work with it and around it. Considering the seemingly bungled job that was has been done in this case, I also suggest it best if we actually help create it.

If such a policy is already in place, how did we end up here?

R’s,

Jason

From: ausnog-bounces at lists.ausnog.net [mailto:ausnog-bounces at lists.ausnog.net] On Behalf Of Serge Burjak
Sent: Saturday, 13 April 2013 10:37
To: J Williams
Cc: ausnog at lists.ausnog.net
Subject: Re: [AusNOG] Understanding lack of Aus connectivity to melbournefreeuniversity.org.

What is a lawful request in this instance?

On 13/04/2013, at 9:56, J Williams <jphwilliams at gmail.com> wrote:

Finally a sensible answer.

The carriers may be complying with a request from a lawful enforcement agency to filter this IP address, and are therefore unable to provide any further details, as per their obligations.

Telling them to 'man up' (which could be interpreted as sexist) or shooting down the intermediary is ridiculous and unhelpful.

Firstly, since this is deliberately blocked, the parties involved need to direct their queries to the relevant government body, perhaps -> http://www.afp.gov.au/contact.aspx

Secondly, the internet has many workarounds, the end user can change hosting (to within Australia?) or ask the current provider for a different IP address, etc.

Please let us know how you go Danny.

Regards,

Julian

On Fri, Apr 12, 2013 at 2:08 AM, Phillip Grasso <phillip.grasso at gmail.com> wrote:

If government interception was involved any parties cooperating wouldn't be able to say anything. Why won't the end user move another service and see if the block follows them.

On 11/04/2013 12:38 PM, "Joshua D'Alton" <joshua at railgun.com.au> wrote:

**ford.com

Well theres the culprit... ;)

The sad thing is the real culprit site has more than likely already moved to another IP, leaving all these legit sites up the creek. It's the piracy/DRM argument all over again :(

On Thu, Apr 11, 2013 at 9:09 PM, Simon Lyall <simon at darkmere.gen.nz> wrote:

1. Works from New Zealand

2. There is a list of websites hosted on that IP at http://sameid.net/ip/198.136.54.104 . However they obscure the first two characters of each domain. Skimming though it nothing really jumped out. A fairly high number of Australian sites, all boring stuff:

www.clanfraser.org.au
www.tradecoastproperties.com.au
www.fromholtz.com.au
www.brunswickplace.com.au
www.bluewaterdeliveries.com.au

I keep expecting to find a Queensland dentist..

-- 
Simon Lyall  |  Very Busy  |  Web: http://www.darkmere.gen.nz/
"To stay awake all night adds a day to your life" - Stilgar | eMT.

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