Re: [Full-Disclosure] Empty emails?

[randall perry <lists@domain-logic.com>]

At 10:13 AM 2/25/2004 -0500, you wrote:
> yup...been getting quite a few as of late.  Based on some quick googles, it
> appears to have been around for quite some time.... not sure if it's some
> kind of probe to see if my address exists..but they're annoying.
You are right that it is a verification process.
What you do is have your mail bot send out spam with a twist.
As each message is composed and sent, it contains an embedded image
of a random name (in fact, it doesn't really exist) that is really a 
reference number.

For example <img src=http://logging.microsoft.com/verify/123451.jpg border=0 >

Your web server error log will identify every time one of those images was
tried and then that gets matched automatically to your database of names.

Now you have:
1. A verified email address
2. An originating IP (can narrow down to what continent they are on or if 
broadband customers)
3. What OS you are running
4. Possibly what email client or web browser you use.

This is worth big bucks in the form of "email leads" sold by geographic regions
and whether they are dialup, cable customers, business, etc.


*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.
      Randall Perry
      Domain Logic Technology Solutions
      http://www.domain-logic.com

Every problem has a solution. If there is no solution, there is no problem..

*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.


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