Techsurvivors

Archives => 2009 => Topic started by: Xairbusdriver on February 12, 2009, 10:01:09 PM

Title: What is this, really?
Post by: Xairbusdriver on February 12, 2009, 10:01:09 PM

Confusing part is that my "web site" is no where in the header. "CornerOak.com" seems to be a real place. And they/he may actually be getting SPAMmed, but not by me or "my web site." Perhaps his server is the one with the virus?

Sure glad he has Microsoft looking out for him...

Raw source (in the two images, the PHP server didn't like seeing the text, even as "pre," "code" or "quote") of the message I got with my actual email address 'edited' slightly:

[attachment=1215:SPAMSCAM_top.jpg]
[attachment=1216:SPAMSCAM_bottom.jpg]

Title: What is this, really?
Post by: tacit on February 13, 2009, 12:30:05 AM

QUOTE(Xairbusdriver @ Feb 13 2009, 04:01 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Confusing part is that my "web site" is no where in the header. "CornerOak.com" seems to be a real place. And they/he may actually be getting SPAMmed, but not by me or "my web site." Perhaps his server is the one with the virus?

Sure glad he has Microsoft looking out for him...

Raw source (in the two images, the PHP server didn't like seeing the text, even as "pre," "code" or "quote") of the message I got with my actual email address 'edited' slightly:

[attachment=1215:SPAMSCAM_top.jpg]
[attachment=1216:SPAMSCAM_bottom.jpg]

This is the same problem that's been with us since the earliest days of spam. Someone got a spam email with your name as the From: address. The person who received the spam doesn't understand how easy it is to forge the From: address, so assumes that you must have been hijacked.

Title: What is this, really?
Post by: Xairbusdriver on February 13, 2009, 09:07:38 AM

I can understand that part. And you are probably correct.

What is confusing is that this fellow thinks it came from my "web site" and even claims that site is mentioned in the header. While I do maintain our churches web site, my name nor the address found in the header is anywhere on there. I simply use an alias at the hosting company that then sends any messages to me. But all of those have included identifying info proving they came from that hosting companies mail servers.

Of course, if he doesn't understand the possibilities of forged addresses, he probably doesn't understand the difference between a 'site' and plain email. I'll not respond in any way unless there are further messages and/or 'threats.' And in that case, I may just let my hosting company reply that they have no indication of any virus'! Or maybe tell him to create a rule to just block my address from his email programs...

At least there was no embedded links or graphics in the thing. Only thing 'embedded' is the confusion in my brain!

Additional confusion occurred when the TS hosting server's php parser kept 'choking' on the text. All that header syntax must have confused it even though it was wrapped by "pre," or "code," or "quote" tags. I though the first two, at least, would allow just about any text to pass through. Oh well...

Title: What is this, really?
Post by: Paddy on February 13, 2009, 12:01:45 PM

Maybe he just has a standard blurb he sends - obviously NOT understanding the nature of forged headers etc. He probably thinks he's doing you/everyone a big favor. HIS email address is in plain view on both his own web site and the other one he designed for someone, so he no doubt gets a boatload of spam - and he's a complete idiot if he's responding to it.

Title: What is this, really?
Post by: Xairbusdriver on February 13, 2009, 01:56:53 PM

QUOTE

he's a complete idiot if he's responding to it

Well, I guess I haven't quite earned the "complete" part!

Even on the church web site I ASCII encode the entire address, including the "mailto:" and "subject:" parts. It's so simple to do with a free little app called <SpamStopper>. No longer being supported (seems the developer has moved on to other pursuits), not that I've ever needed any.