[Hidden-tech] An Idea about Email

[Jan Werner]

I'm no fan of Microsoft, but before you get carried away, note the 
following article in The Register today:

"Apple has inadvertently made it easy for spammers to create a database 
of MobileMe email addresses. The issue points to a future of more junk 
mail for Mac heads. They are already being targetted by MobileMe 
phishing scams."

You can read more at: 
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/08/22/mobileme_spam_risk/

Aside from that, there have been many reports recently of OS-X exploits 
starting to appear, and you can expect more as Macs gain market share.

And on the happier side, the following article appeared yesterday:

"A Brazilian man who allegedly sold access to a huge network of 
compromised PCs has been charged with computer hacking offences in the 
US."  .... "Dutch police cuffed Neto on 29 July, acting on information 
from the FBI and Brazilian cybercops. He is currently in detention in 
The Netherlands pending extradition proceedings."

More at: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/08/22/samba_botnet_suspect/

Jan Werner
___________

Robert Heller wrote:
>    ** Be sure to fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area.
>    ** If you did, we all thank you.
> 
> 
> At Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:06:44 -0400 romanvictor at rvpmdesigns.com wrote:
> 
>>    ** Be sure to fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area.
>>    ** If you did, we all thank you.
>>
>>
>> Hi,
>>
>> As someone who provides web site hosting and email server administration I
>> have been giving no small attention and thought to email these days. I have
>> come to the conclusion that our legal system, both state and federal, is
>> failing to prosecute enough spammers under the CAN-SPAM act of 2003 to slow
>> spam. Just by the low number of convictions it still just too easy to send
>> spam and get away with it. Antispam technology companies need the spammers
>> to keep around adding new income so they are not interested in stopping spam
>> at its source. 
>>
>> I have been able to research a few spammers and identify the names and the
>> physical address of the spammers. One spammer is right in our very state of
>> Massachusetts. 
> 
> Only a small part of the spam actually includes a *real* physical
> *American* address, since much of it advertizes porn sites in foreign
> countries, are are message spreading MS-Windows malware, are phishing
> messages, or are various scams (mostly variations of the 'Nigerian'
> scam). None of these will have a useful *American* physical address. 
> Even if the US legal system did in fact successfully prosecute *every*
> *American* spammer under the CAN-SPAM act of 2003, this would have
> little effect on the amount of spam.
> 
> OTOH, most spam is in fact sent by 'bot nets' -- these are co-opted
> *MS-Windows* machines, owned by normal people whose machines have been
> subverted by viruses (usually spread by spam) that are connected to
> high-speed Internet connections. These 'bot nets' are *always*
> MS-Windows machines, because Microsoft is totally unable to create
> anything close to a properly secure operating system.  In a sense, it
> might make sense to prosecute or sue *Microsoft* for creating such an
> insecure operating system. (I know, the ELUA actually holds Microsoft
> harmless, so this is mostly wishful thinking.)  Oh, most of the bot-nets
> are controlled by various criminal organizations, based in various
> foreign countries (like the Russian Federation or the Ukraine or
> someplace pretty much beyond the jurisdiction of the US legal system).
> 
>> Before anyone asks for the spammer's address so we can all throw rocks
>> through his windows, I would rather float the idea the we as a group should
>> invite the Attorney General of Massachusetts and the US District Attorney to
>> meet to discuss improving prosecutions or at least create a system for rapid
>> turnaround cease as desist filings. Another idea is to create a spam court.
>>
>> I would also like to share my research methods with others so maybe we can
>> automate the location and filing of complaint against these criminals.
>>
>> Roman
>> Â 
>> Roman Victor, Software Developer
>> RVPM Designs
>> 8 Coach Ln
>> Amherst, MA 01002
>> 413 253-6547
>> 413 695-9425 cell
>> romanvictor at rvpmdesigns.com
>> www.rvpmdesigns.com
>>
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