Rizon
Encyclopedia
Rizon is a large Internet Relay Chat
(IRC) network with an average of around 18,000 users. The IRC network itself is well known and ranks number 5 among the largest IRC networks.
Rizon is popular with many anime
fansubbing groups who work online, many of whom provide their content through XDCC
via IRC bot
s in their distribution channels.
File sharing
of other copyrighted material such as Warez
is also common in some channels on the network.
is also used by other networks. Plexus versions 1.x and 2.x were originally coded by static & peer. Plexus 3.x was rewritten by ThaPrince and is now maintained and developed by the Rizon Dev Team. As of the r524 release, the ability for automatic services authentication using SSL client certificates has been implemented, and was largely based on the work done by OFTC
, though significant changes were made regarding server-to-server communication.
s (DDoS) and were forced to shut down temporarily; Aniverse later resumed operations at a greatly-reduced capacity. This in turn caused approximately 8,000-10,000 IRC users of various anime
fansubbing channels to migrate to Rizon. Rizon was forced to increase its number of servers to handle the additional users. This also had the effect of making Rizon a target for DDoS attacks.
.
Roby was later raided by the FBI as part of Operation Cyberslam.
Initial charges brought against Roby as part of Operation Cyberslam were dropped but he later pleaded guilty to lesser charges and was sentenced to an 18-month prison sentence.
conducted by the FBI, Rizon's founder, Jason Michael Downey aka "Nessun" was charged with using a botnet in 2004 to launch Denial-of-service attack
s (DDoS) against other computer networks, including rival IRC networks such as IRCHighway.
On June 20 2007, Downey pleaded guilty in a US Federal court to operating a botnet "of up to 6,000 infected computers" and using it to launch DDoS attacks "From on or about June 18, 2004 through on or about September 5, 2004." Downey faced up to 24 months in prison and a fine of up to $40,000.
When asked his reasons behind performing the DDoS attacks, Downey explained to U.S. District Judge Nancy G. Edmunds that "I was doing it because I could, more than anything," and "It was a dumb thing to do."
Downey was sentenced on October 23, 2007 to 12 months in prison for causing over $20,000 in losses and damages due to unlawful computer intrusion and was ordered to pay a total of $21,110 in damages to 3 companies that were affected by his DDoS attacks. After his release, Downey will have a probation term of 3 years with no computer access without prior permission and will have to perform 150 hours of community service
.
After Downey's sentencing, some of Rizon's users who felt Downey was wrongly accused created an online petition titled "Free Nessun!"
Internet Relay Chat
Internet Relay Chat is a protocol for real-time Internet text messaging or synchronous conferencing. It is mainly designed for group communication in discussion forums, called channels, but also allows one-to-one communication via private message as well as chat and data transfer, including file...
(IRC) network with an average of around 18,000 users. The IRC network itself is well known and ranks number 5 among the largest IRC networks.
Rizon is popular with many anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
fansubbing groups who work online, many of whom provide their content through XDCC
XDCC
XDCC was initially a script written in 1994 for ircII by . This script extends the ircII DCC command.Now XDCC refers to IRC bots running file sharing programs in general. XDCC bots serve one or more usually large files for download using the DCC protocol...
via IRC bot
IRC bot
thumb|409px|right|An IRC bot performing a simple task.An IRC bot is a set of scripts or an independent program that connects to Internet Relay Chat as a client, and so appears to other IRC users as another user...
s in their distribution channels.
File sharing
File sharing
File sharing is the practice of distributing or providing access to digitally stored information, such as computer programs, multimedia , documents, or electronic books. It may be implemented through a variety of ways...
of other copyrighted material such as Warez
Warez
Warez refers primarily to copyrighted works distributed without fees or royalties, and may be traded, in general violation of copyright law. The term generally refers to unauthorized releases by organized groups, as opposed to file sharing between friends or large groups of people with similar...
is also common in some channels on the network.
Rizon IRCd
Rizon currently uses Plexus IRCd. Plexus was coded specifically with Rizon in mind and is based on Hybrid IRCd. Plexus is not exclusive to Rizon as the IRCdIRCd
An IRCd, short for Internet Relay Chat daemon, is server software that implements the IRC protocol, enabling people to talk to each other via the Internet . It is distinct from an IRC bot that connects outbound to an IRC channel.The server listens to connections from IRC clients on a set of TCP ports...
is also used by other networks. Plexus versions 1.x and 2.x were originally coded by static & peer. Plexus 3.x was rewritten by ThaPrince and is now maintained and developed by the Rizon Dev Team. As of the r524 release, the ability for automatic services authentication using SSL client certificates has been implemented, and was largely based on the work done by OFTC
Open and Free Technology Community
The Open and Free Technology Community is an IRC network that provides collaboration services to members of the free software community in any part of the world. OFTC is an associated project of Software in the Public Interest, a non-profit organization which was founded to help organizations...
, though significant changes were made regarding server-to-server communication.
History
In early 2004 the mIRCX and Aniverse IRC networks were the victims of Denial-of-service attackDenial-of-service attack
A denial-of-service attack or distributed denial-of-service attack is an attempt to make a computer resource unavailable to its intended users...
s (DDoS) and were forced to shut down temporarily; Aniverse later resumed operations at a greatly-reduced capacity. This in turn caused approximately 8,000-10,000 IRC users of various anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
fansubbing channels to migrate to Rizon. Rizon was forced to increase its number of servers to handle the additional users. This also had the effect of making Rizon a target for DDoS attacks.
DDoS attack against mIRCX
Contrary to rumors, Rizon had no part in the DDoS attack against mIRCX in 2004. Richard "Krashed" Roby was the actual perpetrator who initiated the attacks in retaliation against CJB networks for shutting down his botnetBotnet
A botnet is a collection of compromised computers connected to the Internet. Termed "bots," they are generally used for malicious purposes. When a computer becomes compromised, it becomes a part of a botnet...
.
Roby was later raided by the FBI as part of Operation Cyberslam.
Initial charges brought against Roby as part of Operation Cyberslam were dropped but he later pleaded guilty to lesser charges and was sentenced to an 18-month prison sentence.
DDoS attacks against rival networks
On May 25, 2007 as part of Operation: Bot RoastOperation: Bot Roast
Operation: Bot Roast is an operation by the FBI to track down bot herders, crackers, or virus coders who install malicious software on computers through the Internet without the owners’ knowledge, which turns the computer into a zombie computer that then sends out spam to other computers from the...
conducted by the FBI, Rizon's founder, Jason Michael Downey aka "Nessun" was charged with using a botnet in 2004 to launch Denial-of-service attack
Denial-of-service attack
A denial-of-service attack or distributed denial-of-service attack is an attempt to make a computer resource unavailable to its intended users...
s (DDoS) against other computer networks, including rival IRC networks such as IRCHighway.
On June 20 2007, Downey pleaded guilty in a US Federal court to operating a botnet "of up to 6,000 infected computers" and using it to launch DDoS attacks "From on or about June 18, 2004 through on or about September 5, 2004." Downey faced up to 24 months in prison and a fine of up to $40,000.
When asked his reasons behind performing the DDoS attacks, Downey explained to U.S. District Judge Nancy G. Edmunds that "I was doing it because I could, more than anything," and "It was a dumb thing to do."
Downey was sentenced on October 23, 2007 to 12 months in prison for causing over $20,000 in losses and damages due to unlawful computer intrusion and was ordered to pay a total of $21,110 in damages to 3 companies that were affected by his DDoS attacks. After his release, Downey will have a probation term of 3 years with no computer access without prior permission and will have to perform 150 hours of community service
Community service
Community service is donated service or activity that is performed by someone or a group of people for the benefit of the public or its institutions....
.
After Downey's sentencing, some of Rizon's users who felt Downey was wrongly accused created an online petition titled "Free Nessun!"