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email bombed
- Thread starter muchavo
- Start date
change email addresses or just keep deleting them and DO NOT RESPOND TO ANY OF THEM. if you respond to any of them (to say stop sending me these things) it confirms a valid email address and it just keeps sending emails there.
also, do not try to open any of them because that is how a lot of bad stuff happens!
also, do not try to open any of them because that is how a lot of bad stuff happens!
AnotherHiggins
Technical User
I have multiple email addresses. I use one online when subscribing to websites - even this one. It receives some spam. I have another that is only given to friends and family and I ask that they never share it with anyone - ever. I get maybe 1 spam message every month on that account.
As eyec pointed out, responding to these emails only confirms that yours is an active address and makes it more valuable for one spammer to sell to another.
Good luck!
[tt]-John[/tt]
________________________
To get the best answers fast, please read faq181-2886
As eyec pointed out, responding to these emails only confirms that yours is an active address and makes it more valuable for one spammer to sell to another.
Good luck!
[tt]-John[/tt]
________________________
To get the best answers fast, please read faq181-2886
MichealC4
Programmer
- Jun 26, 2003
- 457
As for mitigating these types of problems (besides the usual spam issues), there are various things you can do, from the simple to the extreme. I'm going to list a couple exampls. One simple, one extreme.
For the simple, you can contact the person who manages your mail server (ISP, webhost, etc.) and ask them what spam filters they have in place, and if they have any DoS/DDoS mitigation filters in place. If they don't, ask them what you can do to work together, exlaining the situation, and see what you can come up with.
For the extreme, you can setup a mail server at your place, have it retrieve your mail, and then force it through filters and so on. Then you can retrieve your mail off of that server. It is a mail router setup, and rather effective if done properly. I've done that at home, though it isn't quite finished yet. Like I said, extreme.
Typically mail bombings are a retaliation. For example, part of my job at work is to report spammers and mitigate spam problems (such as phishing, etc.). I reported one spammer (a well-known spammer, I just can't remember his name at the moment), got them kicked off of two different hosts. They obviously weren't too happy about it and mail bombed us. Was there a situation like that? Just a thought anyway.
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"Security is like an onion" - Unknown
For the simple, you can contact the person who manages your mail server (ISP, webhost, etc.) and ask them what spam filters they have in place, and if they have any DoS/DDoS mitigation filters in place. If they don't, ask them what you can do to work together, exlaining the situation, and see what you can come up with.
For the extreme, you can setup a mail server at your place, have it retrieve your mail, and then force it through filters and so on. Then you can retrieve your mail off of that server. It is a mail router setup, and rather effective if done properly. I've done that at home, though it isn't quite finished yet. Like I said, extreme.
Typically mail bombings are a retaliation. For example, part of my job at work is to report spammers and mitigate spam problems (such as phishing, etc.). I reported one spammer (a well-known spammer, I just can't remember his name at the moment), got them kicked off of two different hosts. They obviously weren't too happy about it and mail bombed us. Was there a situation like that? Just a thought anyway.
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"Security is like an onion" - Unknown
It's also possible that the emails are being relayed to your father from an infected machine that has your dad's email address on it somewhere.
Email is not very secure, and one machine can send out thousands of emails with many spoofed source addresses.
(longshot) If your father knows of someone off-hand that has his address in their address book, and also typically has their machine turned on during the hours that he is receiving these emails (...and also doesn't bother to update their AV software!), he may be able to track down the culprit.
Sounds silly, but its worked for me before!
"I would rather have a free bottle in front of me, than a pre-frontal lobotomy..."
-Shrubble
Email is not very secure, and one machine can send out thousands of emails with many spoofed source addresses.
(longshot) If your father knows of someone off-hand that has his address in their address book, and also typically has their machine turned on during the hours that he is receiving these emails (...and also doesn't bother to update their AV software!), he may be able to track down the culprit.
Sounds silly, but its worked for me before!
"I would rather have a free bottle in front of me, than a pre-frontal lobotomy..."
-Shrubble
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