Ubuntu irssi 0.8.12-4ubuntu2

[Gerfried Fuchs]

        Hi!

 Thanks for the (indirect because of my Debian PTS derivates
subscription - direct would had been much more appreciated) notification
about this router bug:

* Ubuntu Merge-o-Matic <mom at ubuntu.com> [2008-10-07 19:43:37 CEST]:
> Launchpad-Bugs-Fixed: 263259
> Changes: 
>  irssi (0.8.12-4ubuntu2) intrepid; urgency=low
>  .
>    * debian/patches/90irc-ubuntu-com.dpatch: Changed irc.ubuntu.com's
>      default port to 8001 to avoid DCC exploit (LP: #263259).

<https://help.ubuntu.com/community/FixDCCExploit>

 Though, it makes me wonder about several things:

 -) Is this a freenode only specific issue? If not, why does the page
only list freenode? I can understand that it's the most important for
Ubuntu because irc.ubntu.com points there, but would changing the
default port for OFTC to 7000 (as documented on their page as
alternative) work here, too? I tried to update the page with respect
to that, but I'm not too sure what port(range) the buggy routers are
checking.

 -) Isn't switching it per default for all users propably causing more
troubles for firewall admins and similar than it solves? How common are
these buggy routers?

 -) Why would changing the client be a fix when it's related to the port
one connects to? It's not really clear here wether Colloquy is affected
in itself even without a buggy router, but I guess that's what is meant
here?

 Given any deeper insight and answers might help me trying to figure out
how sever it really is and wether this change should be applied to
Debian in a timely manner, too (and wether I/we should dig further for
alternative ports of other networks listed in the IRC clients).

 Thanks,
Rhonda
P.S.: I'm not subscribed to the list but will try to follow the archive.
   Thus it would be kind if you could Cc me on replies.