MasterCard under DDOS, can't process SecureCode online payments

Re:MasterCard under DDOS, can't process SecureCode online pa... by marknutter on Wednesday December 08, 2010 @10:50AM (#1983291)

But what is "socially desirable" is a completely subjective thing though. There could be a small group of Anons that think banning gays from entering the military is "socially desirable" and use that as a basis for taking down websites of companies who work with the military.

It's Mastercard's choice whom they do business with, and by launching this attack Anon is only further solidifying the misguided popular belief that Wikileaks is akin to a terrorist organization. It may seem like a victory in the short term, but in terms of Wikileak's PR I think it's a huge setback.

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Re:MasterCard under DDOS, can't process SecureCode online pa... by loewenskind on Thursday December 09, 2010 @10:19AM (#1987718)

The only people who are going to blame this on Wikileaks are the people who are uninformed enough to already think they're a terrorist organization anyway. I wouldn't spend too much time worrying about what such people think because unless you can get a spokesmen on Fox News you can't change their mind anyway.

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Re:MasterCard under DDOS, can't process SecureCode online pa... by borism on Wednesday December 08, 2010 @10:56AM (#1983323)

It's Mastercard's choice whom they do business with

No it's not.

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Re:MasterCard under DDOS, can't process SecureCode online pa... by jlgosse on Wednesday December 08, 2010 @11:18AM (#1983431)

I'm really interested in this, and I'm confused as to why people are voting you up. You provided an answer with absolutely no evidence to support what you said and people find the answer either, a) Helpful or b) Interesting.

Can you explain how it isn't their choice? Mastercard, VISA and American Express turn down applicants ALL the time, so doesn't this go against what you are saying here?

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Re:MasterCard under DDOS, can't process SecureCode online pa... by defen on Wednesday December 08, 2010 @12:45PM (#1983804)

I'm not sure what his point was, but technically it's true, at least in the U.S. There are a host of "protected classes", and if you refuse to do business with someone because they're in that protected class, you get in Big Trouble. This includes race, color, gender, age, etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protected_class

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Re:MasterCard under DDOS, can't process SecureCode online pa... by marknutter on Wednesday December 08, 2010 @12:49PM (#1983828)

It's not true, otherwise signs that say "no shirt, no shoes, no service" would be illegal. You're referring to laws against discrimination based on race, sex, or disabilities. This says nothing about refusing service to people for other reasons, such as a rowdy bar patron or someone who violates Terms of Service.

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Re:MasterCard under DDOS, can't process SecureCode online pa... by jbooth on Wednesday December 08, 2010 @01:42PM (#1984040)

It's generally understood that refusing to do business with someone for political reasons, unless the person's politics involve genocide or something, is against the social contract. Not illegal, but generally not approved of by anyone (unless you have the whole US media playing the mccarthy card against the person, apparently).

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Re:MasterCard under DDOS, can't process SecureCode online pa... by neilc on Wednesday December 08, 2010 @03:02PM (#1984390)

I think there are many people who, given the chance, would not do business with WikiLeaks (on the grounds that their actions are perceived to be against the US national interest and potentially putting lives in danger). So I'm not sure where you're getting the idea that this would be "generally understood ... to be against the social contract."

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Re:MasterCard under DDOS, can't process SecureCode online pa... by jbooth on Wednesday December 08, 2010 @03:03PM (#1984399)

If you're a small business and people can take their money elsewhere, that's one thing, if you're one of two giant corporations providing a vital service, that's another.

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Re:MasterCard under DDOS, can't process SecureCode online pa... by okaramian on Wednesday December 08, 2010 @12:47PM (#1983817)

There is a difference between turning down an individual for financial reasons and turning down an organization due to political pressure (whose money they were completely okay with taking before the hammer fell down).

I'm not saying it isn't their choice, but there is no real advantage to them angering politicians who could screw them on votes or funding at some point in the future.

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Re:MasterCard under DDOS, can't process SecureCode online pa... by vegai on Wednesday December 08, 2010 @01:28PM (#1983982)

They're now collectively turning down something. That's not something they should be allowed to do, given that they control a lot when it comes to moving money. It puts a consumer in a position where he has no choice.

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Re:MasterCard under DDOS, can't process SecureCode online pa... by VMG on Wednesday December 08, 2010 @12:55PM (#1983853)

I vote him up because I don't vote based on agreement. Invisible text simply makes the discussion difficult to read.

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Re:MasterCard under DDOS, can't process SecureCode online pa... by jlgosse on Wednesday December 08, 2010 @01:59PM (#1984119)

Another thing, the people who think that bringing down Mastercard is going to help Wikileaks in any way need a serious reality check.

Why would anyone do business with someone if there was even a tiny chance that they would get screwed over the next day to the tune of MILLIONS and MILLIONS of dollars. The fact that mastercard.com is down and their SecureCode service is offline has already cost thousands of small businesses millions of dollars. Do you think these companies are going to support something like Wikileaks after this event?

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Re:MasterCard under DDOS, can't process SecureCode online pa... by fleitz on Wednesday December 08, 2010 @03:30PM (#1984492)

I know I mean thats like thinking 12 guys back in 1776 could really stop the British Empire with their silly little tea parties.

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Re:MasterCard under DDOS, can't process SecureCode online pa... by brass_cannon on Wednesday December 08, 2010 @06:37PM (#1985209)

Except your assertion requires that the availability of imported tea was an essential component to the American Revolution's success. The founders didn't reduce their available resources by making people less likely to import tea.

Anon has reduced Wikileaks' available resources by making people less likely to facilitate donations to them.

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Re:MasterCard under DDOS, can't process SecureCode online pa... by fleitz on Thursday December 09, 2010 @12:41AM (#1986229)

http://thenextweb.com/media/2010/12/09/caving-to-pressure-fr... 'nuff said.

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Re:MasterCard under DDOS, can't process SecureCode online pa... by borism on Wednesday December 08, 2010 @02:17PM (#1984198)

http://www.zdnet.co.uk/blogs/security-bullet-in-10000166/leg...

Visa and MasterCard can block payment providers if they believe those generate a lot of fraudulent activity, not because they disagree with those organisations activities.

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