This night 4webspace decided to shut down my server
This is the message i got from them


Your 4webspace raq servers account, #*****, for *****.com has been set to Suspended-And Pending Deletion for the reason:

Your server was the recipient of a network attack resulting in outages for other clients. As per our AUP, we can not restore service to your server until you have paid a $500 USD network outage fee. We will require a copy of credit card authorization form sent out to us. The form is available at: http://www.tera-byte.com/cca.html

So now i have to pay $500 for something i couldn't help. Since it's not my only server, and i don't really need the RAQ3(only some free sites on it) i'm not that eager to pay. $500 is a lot of money for some free sites.

What do you think of this?? Can they do this??

Originally posted by Lmax


What do you think of this?? Can they do this??

i guess . . .

Of course they can do this. They can not consider security of all servers because of one.

but its really sad. :(

a scandal!

problem is you can't do much about it

Scary stuff, wonder how many hosts would put that clause in their AUP. While I can see the damage the attack could cause, that stuff happens.

So, if there's a network attack on anyones server there, the customer will have to cough up $500? I'd be feeling a bit insecure about that deal. Guess it's one way to upset a competitor or bring in some more funds. :eek:

Originally posted by Seer
Guess it's one way to upset a competitor or bring in some more funds.

Hm, a massive attack costs a lot: $ for tech personel and downtime to other servers (and therefore if they have an uptime guarantee again $).

Lmax, have you taken a look at their terms of service? Have you read it before signup? Can you find anything about this 500$ thing? If not, they are in a bad position, if yes :(

Yes, they have it in their terms, don't know if it was there when i signed up. Their terms are changed easily, it's only html.

But then again, can't they do anything to prevent such attacks?? I can't help my server is being attacked but i have to pay for it
:confused:

Can't they install some sort of firewall or something??

This would be like the police charging you $500 everytime your got beat up.

I think the reason for the policy is that some people may have websites that might provoke, an attack on their server. And, some people are stupid and go on IRC, and provoke an attack.

I guess it comes down to, the few ruin it for the many.

Yes, i think you're right, but as system admin of that server i'm having the problems.
I don't think they let me on the box to make a backup and then all leave it as it is.

I wasn't really using the RAQ, just gave some room to some friends. Paying $500 for just some sort of spare server isn't what i had in mind.

I would suggest talking with them. They might be able to work something out, or at the least give you the data on the server.

I dont understand why they didnt just pull your server offline and tell you they couldnt put it back online until the attack was over with....

Originally posted by cbaker17
I dont understand why they didnt just pull your server offline and tell you they couldnt put it back online until the attack was over with....

exactly what I thought :eek:

Originally posted by cbaker17
I dont understand why they didnt just pull your server offline and tell you they couldnt put it back online until the attack was over with....

That's just what they did, but now they're not gone put it back online before i pay $500.
And i don't want to pay $500 for something i couldn't prevent.

the fine email was sent out prematurely that's the email that would be sent once a server has been attacked and the attack was caused by an irc bot or server or some other related program, the server in question is back online and no fine was imposed. I do not charge for servers that were attacked out of the blue as this one appears to have been, I do however charge when someone provoked an attack.

Steve

Thanks, i have to say all problem have been resolved.

I haven't been charged for $500 and i'm very gratefull to 4webspace for it. I'm investigating the server now it's back online, will check all the users and their websites. I hope this never happens again.

Once again, there may have been some miscommunication between 4webspace and me, but this all has been resolved. 4webspace, a great company to work with.

It's good to hear that you got the problem sorted out with 4WebSpace/Tera-Byte. I've had a server there for almost a year and have had very responsive service the few times I've had to contact them about a problem.

Hopefully when IPv6 is a reality, DoS attacks will be a thing of the past, as the criminals who want to launch these attacks will be far easier to trace.

Yeay, Steve to the rescue!

Good on you Steve! :)

Lmax. Now you're aware of this $500 rule perhaps in future if you give anyone free space and they DO cause something to provoke a DOS attack, you could impose a fine on them too?

Easily said though, not quite as easily done.

Originally posted by Keeg
I do not charge for servers that were attacked out of the blue as this one appears to have been

Phew!!! I'm considering a 4webspace Raq and if this thread held true, they were getting scratched real quick like! Glad to hear everything is working itself out, and yes.. if you're going to let your friends have web space on your server, make sure they're not being idiots and provoking people to attack your server!

JDF, i can vouch for 4ws, they are excellent. I have been with them since about May last year and really haven't had any problems besides my own personal learning curve.

Downtime is almost non existent, support is fast and friendly, prices and data allowances don't make you feel robbed, and the company seems honest and reliable.

One thing though, it might be worth upgrading the memory right off the bat. I went with 32MB for quite a while, and as I had fairly low activity sites it wasn't really a problem. When they offered a deal on 512MB upgrades I jumped at the chance, and it seemed to make my RaQ3 a little faster when in the control panel, and I had to reboot far less often.

It's hard to find someone who has an account with them who has anything bad to say.

Don't get me wrong, this post is the only thing I have ever seen about 4webspace having any kind of.. how do I want to say this.. imperfection? In the year or so that I have known about them I don't remember ever having read anything bad about them. As of Steve's post to this thread my confidence in 4webspace has been restored completely.

That said, I probably will be going with 4webspace as the RackShack setup fees are a bit hard to cough up at one time.

Justin

I agree wholeheartedly about 4ws. The really rotten thing about rackshack is they charge you every month for a RAM upgrade. With 4ws you might start off with only 32MB, but if you upgrade it at least it's only a one off fee.

I'd feel completely robbed if I had to pay an extra $x per month for a simple memory stick installation.