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Why does my RIPE whois show someone else's abuse contact from 2003?

Networking by bellaauc 26 replies 2.3K views
bellaauc

Member OP

3-2-1 Believer

#1

I recently took over a /22 from a company that folded in 2019. RIPE whois still shows an abuse-c pointing to "[email protected]" with a person named "M. Kowalski" and a phone number that doesn't work anymore. The email bounces... mostly. Sometimes it doesn't.

Here's where it gets weird. I started getting CC'd on abuse reports forwarded to my actual contact. Turns out Kowalski still receives abuse@ emails and forwards them to a private mailing list with commentary like "another one for the museum." He's been doing this since 2003. Same company, just... never left the address.

Before I chase this rabbit hole further: did you test your restore? And does anyone know how to force RIPE to update stale abuse-c references? My 3-2-1 rule applies to data, but apparently not to WHOIS records.

  • Inetnum shows my org, correct mntner
  • Abuse-c still references OLD-ORG-RIPE handle
  • Old org object has no mntner I can reach
  • RIPE ticket #2025-XXXXXX pending 11 days
3-2-1 or you're already dead
Joy

Member

#2

Wkwkwk 2003 lah, that is older than my first VPS xixixi

I am buy my first server yesterday from Contabo, very cheap. But I am never check whois, maybe I am also have ghost in database xixixi

You are try send email to Kowalski and ask polite? Or RIPE NCC are help?

larryjeong

Member

#3

The ripe db is a mess a lot of stale data

I pay $2.50/y for my whois privacy at OVHcloud and even that updates faster

Did u try just registering new abuse-c object and linking it yourself? Im pretty sure u can override if u have mntner

$3/year. 128MB RAM. Pure happiness.
herebungkus

Member

🌏 SEA represent

#4
larryjeong said:
Did u try just registering new abuse-c object and linking it urself?

Can do, but must wait for RIPE to process also, cannot direct update if old mntner still exist in system. Thank you.

I am having same problem with Vultr IP before, slow-slow to change. The RIPE database is like old tree, very deep root. Wkwkwk

Maybe you can contact Kowalski and ask he are transfer the handle? Thank you, thank you.

wrap it, ship it, pray it
Fritz48

Member

Datenschutz First

#5

The GDPR angle is interesting here. Kowalski's personal data—full name, phone number, email—has been publicly exposed for 22 years without apparent consent renewal. You could file a data accuracy complaint, which RIPE must address within 10 business days. This often moves faster than standard routing tickets.

I would recommend two parallel paths: the RIPE ticket escalation route, and a direct request to RIPE's legal team regarding outdated personal data. The second tends to produce results when the first stalls.

Neuland. Aber schnell.
LifeZoe

Member

1 #6

Gdpr shortcut is clever

SU

Member

#7

Kowalski still receives mail after 6 years? That's wild

garykwh

Member

Inference on a Budget

#8

Ripe db is absolutely a mess, stale data everywhere

CUDA cores are my love language
WH

Member

#9

Which mntner handle do you have on the inetnum

bellaauc

Member OP

3-2-1 Believer

4 #10
whitefou said:
Which mntner handle do you have on the inetnum

The mntner is the old company's, and the password died with their admin. I have the inetnum assignment paper from 2019 but RIPE says that's not enough to claim the mntner. Need a notarised transfer or something.

And yes, I tested my restore. 3-2-1, two locations, one offline. Took 4 hours to pull a VM back last month because I forgot the encryption passphrase was in a different vault. You happy now?

3-2-1 or you're already dead

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