BT User Abusing My Server

[BTBob]

For the last month a user on a BT IP has been sending many thousands of requests daily to my site for the same image.

It cost me £70 last month in additional hosting charges and countless hours of my time trying to block them. When I do, they reboot their router (i guess) and get a new IP and start again.

I've now had to create a CloudFlare account and set up a pattern match rule for the type of request they're hammering me with - which is working for the moment, but I'll have to manually monitor in case they change the request pattern.

BT, please please can you contact this user and have a word with them?

They downloaded in the region of 800 GB from me in the last 30 days - surely this must trigger some alert your end?

Their IP address at time of writing is: 86.136.19.127

[BTBob]

Hi BT.

Well that same IP as quoted in my last post is still hammering my firewall. It's not now getting anything from me, but it's repeatedly making the same request.

Please have a word with them!

[BTBob]

Morning BT.

Still happening. Multiple times per second. At present still from IP 86.136.19.127.

Thanks in anticipation!

[BTBob]

Hey BT, how are you this morning?

Just to let you know that your user on IP 86.136.19.127 is still battering my server with thousands of requests every few seconds and have been doing so (on this and previous IPs) for well over a month now.

I'd really really appeciate it if you had a word with them. They're absolutely definitely violating your terms of use policy.

I know you'll do the right thing.

Have a nice weekend,

Bob

[john46]

cannot see this is a BT problem more like a security issue with your server 

[BTBob]

There's no security problem. The user in question is repeatedly requesting a publicly available web resource.

Their activity however is a perfect example of a denial of service attack on my server and as such is illegal under UK law.

I also suspect their activity is violating a number of BT terms and conditions for acceptable use of their services. Primarily because what they are doing is illegal but also because they are exceeding acceptable usage levels in terms of data transfer.

[BTBob]

Hi BT,

Hope you had a good weekend!

Mine was OK but I did still have to keep checking on activity from your user who is STILL and has all weekend been sending thousands of requests every few seconds to my server from IP 86.136.19.127.

Did you manage to have a word with that user about their illegal, terms breaching, activity?

Your assistance in this matter is greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your consideration,

Bob

[BTBob]

Good Morning BT!

I'm so sorry I've not been in touch for so long! How can you ever forgive me?

I hope this epistle finds you well!

Unfortunately I write once again with bad tidings. Your user on IP 86.136.19.127 is still lapidating my server with repeated requests rather frequently; thousands of times in fact, every minute or so.

I know I have asked you this in the past but please I now implore you to have a little word with them about this awkward situation.

I know that you value your reputation highly and it would be such a shame for you to develop a reputation of harbouring and abetting internet criminals would it not. In this regard, I'm sure you'll agree, my messages are most helpful to you - whilst simultaneously also being helpful to me. A mutually agreeable solution therefore is possible if only we can work together. Which I'm sure, given your exemplary record of communciation and support, is just a matter of time away.

Yours, in anticipation of your assistance and understanding,

Bob

[Plumly]

Hi Jeff, 

These forums aren't or well don't appear to be actively monitoed by a member of staff at BT, (its just an occational one) 

I would suggest that you contact the support desk on

https://btbusiness.custhelp.com/app/contact_chat/q_id/116/cat/3755

This will be via Live chat, you need to get in touch with an Abuse or secuirty team, 

thanks

Plumly

[BTBob]

Thanks for your reply and help.

That form, which must be completed in order to proceed, requires that I have a BT home or business account registered to a phone number I know. I do not, unfortunately.