The Kook Elimination Centre

So your newsgroup is currently being crosspost flooded by posters from Databasix.com?

Here's how to remedy the situation.

In the first instance send your complaint to abuse@databasix.com. Please wait a reasonable length of time for a reply. If you get no response after a couple of days try again. Always be polite, accurate and firm in all correspondence. Tell them their behaviour is unacceptable. Remember to CC yourself a copy so you have proof that you've sent a complaint in the first place. If you receive a reply that you deem "unacceptable" and "evasive" then keep a copy of it. Databasix may say that your complaint has no grounds and refer you to their AUP. The Databasix AUP is a worthless document that's been written to stop valid complaints in their tracks. The only AUP that matters is the one written by their access provider, UU.net. Read it here: http://www.us.uu.net/support/usepolicy

Here's the text of UU.net's acceptable use policy:

This Acceptable Use Policy specifies the actions prohibited by UUNET Technologies, Inc. ("UUNET") to users of the UUNET Network. UUNET reserves the right to modify the Policy at any time, effective upon posting of the modified Policy to this URL: http://www.uu.net/terms.

Illegal use
The UUNET Network may be used only for lawful purposes. Transmission, distribution or storage of any material in violation of any applicable law or regulation is prohibited. This includes, without limitation, material protected by copyright, trademark, trade secret or other intellectual property right used without proper authorization, and material that is obscene, defamatory, constitutes an illegal threat, or violates export control laws.

System and network security
Violations of system or network security are prohibited, and may result in criminal and civil liability. UUNET will investigate incidents involving such violations and may involve and will cooperate with law enforcement if a criminal violation is suspected. Examples of system or network security violations include, without limitation, the following:

Unauthorized access to or use of data, systems or networks, including any attempt to probe, scan or test the vulnerability of a system or network or to breach security or authentication measures without express authorization of the owner of the system or network.
Unauthorized monitoring of data or traffic on any network or system without express authorization of the owner of the system or network.
Interference with service to any user, host or network including, without limitation, mailbombing, flooding, deliberate attempts to overload a system and broadcast attacks.
Forging of any TCP-IP packet header or any part of the header information in an email or a newsgroup posting.

Email
Sending unsolicited mail messages, including, without limitation, commercial advertising and informational announcements, is explicitly prohibited. A user shall not use another site's mail server to relay mail without the express permission of the site.

Usenet
Posting the same or similar message to one or more newsgroups (excessive cross-posting or multiple-posting, also known as "SPAM") is explicitly prohibited.

INDIRECT OR ATTEMPTED VIOLATIONS OF THE POLICY, AND ACTUAL OR ATTEMPTED VIOLATIONS BY A THIRD PARTY ON BEHALF OF A UUNET CUSTOMER OR A CUSTOMER'S END USER, SHALL BE CONSIDERED VIOLATIONS OF THE POLICY BY SUCH CUSTOMER OR END USER.

UUNET's Interim Designation of Agent to Receive Notification of Claimed Infringement can be found here.

Complaints regarding Illegal Use or System or Network Security issues should be sent to security@uu.net.

Complaints regarding email abuse should be sent to abuse-mail@uu.net.

Complaints regarding USENET abuse or SPAM should be sent to abuse-news@uu.net.

For live incidents, please contact UUNET Internet Abuse Investigations at 1-800-900-0241, option 2,3,1 24 hours a day.

As you can see there is much you can take Databasix to task on.

You can e-mail security@uu.net and news-abuse@uu.net about newsgroup flooding.

If you keep an eye on their headers you can probably spot a forgery of a valid domain name. E-mail security@uu.net about the forging of header information.

Many of their posts contain defamatory material. You can e-mail security@uu.net about that. Be prepared because you might have to back up your complaint with a letter from your lawyer of solicitor.

Databasix posters often crosspost into newsgroups to annoy the regulars. If you consider the amount of crossposted newsgroups excessive, then you should report it to news-abuse@uu.net. They use excessive crossposts as a method of drawing in other posts resulting in a flood of your newsgroup.

If you are unsure that what you are complaining about is legitimate, then you can e-mail me and I'll reply letting you know if I consider it legitimate and worth contacting UU.net about.

If you wish to forward me any "unacceptable" or "evasive" e-mail from abuse@databasix.com you are welcome to forward it to skippythebushkangaroo@bigfoot.com. Make sure that anything you forward has full headers so it can be validated. If you happen to get UU.net to action your complaint or to terminate their feed, then please forward me a copy.

Oh, and please, please, please don't send any complaints to UU.net that are not legitimate. ISP abuse departments have enough work to do already.

Good hunting.