How Spammers Get Your Email Address
Spam represents a large amount of mail sent, with thousands and thousands sent everyday worldwide. The worst part of it all is that some of the spam is coming from what appears to be your email address! So how exactly do spammers get your email address? Unfortunately, there are many ways spammers can access your email address with very few being legitimate.
Spammers use a technique known as “harvesting,” where they collect your email address from legitimate websites like USENET, chat rooms, message boards, AOL profile pages, and special interest group postings. They are sites you have visited and filled out a request info form leaving your contact information or ecommerce sites where you have placed orders.
Technology has aided in the creation of the spambot, which is the spammers ticket to getting your email address. Spambots harvest your information from these websites by sending out feelers that scan every page of the site, collecting any text containing the “@” symbol. They then compile the list of emails into a database that has the capability to send bulk emails, in turn sending out mass spam mail. Spammers also sell the harvested emails to other spammers, further spreading your email and its spam intake. Think of it as a bad form of networking, you tell 3 people who tell 3 people and so on.
Most websites are now requiring you to register with them before you can place an order or receive certain information from them. The thing to worry about here is that some sites are not as careful with your email as you would like them to be. Newsgroups are your biggest concern when it comes to letting your email address “slip” through the cracks and into the spammer’s hands. Most of these newsgroups do not worry themselves with hiding your email address, thus leaving your email address exposed and vulnerable to spammers. You will also have to worry about the websites that deliberately sell your information.
Spammers also use a method that targets a particular domain. They just guess and make up any possible combination of email addresses based on a domain name, such as @YourDomain.com. They take the mailing list of the addresses they have made up and send out the spam. The most vulnerable to this technique are corporate emails, because they have the distinct format of @BusinessName.com. Even though a large portion of these spam mails bounce, spammers don’t really care because they send out millions of spam mails daily. This leaves a small portion of spam to get through, which is enough for the spammer. This method is known as the brute force spam attack, and it is easy to see why.
A great defense against this is to make it as difficult as possible for the feelers to collect your email. When you fill out the register form replace the “@” symbol with “at.” This makes it more difficult to find your email since the spambots are looking for the “@” symbol. The best defense is to display your email as an image rather than text, making it even more difficult.
Provided by Jim Horton - North Star Strategic ITYour Denver source for IT computer support, network consulting and planning, voice over IP (VoIP) solutions, and so much more.
Cisco Partner - VoIP and Unified Communications
Microsoft Partner - Small Business Server Specialists
Schedule time with one of our highly qualified network technology specialists
In the time of rapidly advancing technology, it is more necessary than ever to protect your computer. Criminals have risen to the challenge and can use this technology to steal your information. Install software that searches for the criminal element and eliminates it from ever being a problem.
There is another dilemma: With so many antivirus products on the market, which one do you choose? There is no right and wrong answers here but some people are concerned about the difference between the free programs offered and the ones that you have to pay a yearly subscription for.
Let’s backtrack a bit and talk about viruses. Unlike the ones that humans deal with, the computer variety can be found and eliminated before they cause trouble. Computer viruses get into your hard drive… Continue reading...
A laptop computer is a major investment for most people. Being one of the most expensive pieces of equipment on the market, why not also invest in an affordable, cheap laptop backpack to protect your investment? Getting a product at a cheaper rate usually means getting a poorer quality item, but thorough shopping can weed out the bad from the good. A backpack cover is the ideal item for students or commuters who walk, ride a bike or motorcycle to their destinations.
While shopping for a cheap laptop backpack, keep in mind a few parts of the backpack that provide the actual protection. The material used is an important factor. Make sure you find something that won’t wear thin easily or already looks too thin. In other words, make sure when… Continue reading...
People who use Bluetooth technology, swear by it. Every user trumpets the benefits of Bluetooth; but are these benefits worth the investment?
Review the ten top benefits of Bluetooth, and decide if grabbing on to this technological trend is right for you.
1. Wireless Convenience
There are many benefits of using wireless devices. The basic plus to going wireless is enjoying the freedom to work or communicated without being tied down. You can travel freely and stay connected, without the hassle of connection cables. There is a safety factor to consider as well. Bluetooth technology eliminates the risk of getting tangled with wires if, for example, you’re wrestling with a wired headset while trying to drive a car.
2. Instant Gratification
Using Bluetooth devices allows you the freedom to communicate without setting up connections or… Continue reading...
