Mugu Marauder
Encyclopedia
The Mugu Marauder was an application used by the Artists Against 419
to take some fraudulent
websites offline. Mugu Marauder was superseded by a similar (but more advanced) Java
-based tool called Muguito
and also the Lad Vampire
.
Mugu Marauder worked by repeatedly downloading the scam site's images and HTML files until the site's bandwidth limit was exceeded. Many people used this program at the same time, and a site could quickly be taken offline.
Some people confused what the artists did with a denial-of-service attack
. A DoS attack affects all websites on the server or network. The Mugu Marauder did not do this. It was programmed to stop downloading if the server did not respond after a certain amount of time. Its aim was to have the site shut off by the server when its small bandwidth limit was reached.
Note: The AA419's usage of bandwidth-draining tools ended in September 2007. As a result, Mugu Marauder, Muguito and the Lad Vampire are no longer operational. Alternative methods of stopping scam sites from operating are now employed.
Artists Against 419
Artists Against 419 is an Internet community dedicated to identifying and shutting down 419 scam websites...
to take some fraudulent
Advance fee fraud
An advance-fee fraud is a confidence trick in which the target is persuaded to advance sums of money in the hope of realizing a significantly larger gain...
websites offline. Mugu Marauder was superseded by a similar (but more advanced) Java
Java (Sun)
Java refers to several computer software products and specifications from Sun Microsystems, a subsidiary of Oracle Corporation, that together provide a system for developing application software and deploying it in a cross-platform environment...
-based tool called Muguito
Muguito
Muguito was a freeware Java application used by the Artists Against 419 to take some fraudulent websites offline. It was a replacement for the Mugu Marauder tool....
and also the Lad Vampire
Lad Vampire
The Lad Vampire was a freeware web-based application used by the Artists Against 419 to take some fraudulent websites offline. Using it was very easy: users simply started up the Lad Vampire webpage and left it running....
.
Mugu Marauder worked by repeatedly downloading the scam site's images and HTML files until the site's bandwidth limit was exceeded. Many people used this program at the same time, and a site could quickly be taken offline.
Some people confused what the artists did with a 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...
. A DoS attack affects all websites on the server or network. The Mugu Marauder did not do this. It was programmed to stop downloading if the server did not respond after a certain amount of time. Its aim was to have the site shut off by the server when its small bandwidth limit was reached.
Note: The AA419's usage of bandwidth-draining tools ended in September 2007. As a result, Mugu Marauder, Muguito and the Lad Vampire are no longer operational. Alternative methods of stopping scam sites from operating are now employed.