1. listfilter & mailbots
Hi Rob and Junko,
since about one year I receive Spam with an increasing rate, and I was wondering
about it, for my address is scrambled via JS in my web page, though 'clickable'.
Now I found out: if I use Google searching for my e-mail address, it returns two
pages containing my e-mail address multiple times (my signature contains it):
http://www.listfilter.com/cgi-bin/esearch.exu?thread=1&fromMonth=5&fromYear=9&toMonth=7&toYear=9&keywords=%22%22&first_res=101
http://www.listfilter.com/cgi-bin/esearch.exu?fromMonth=6&fromYear=1&toMonth=1&toYear=A&postedBy=Robert+Craig&keywords=&first_res=301
When I sent the messages about one year ago to Euforum, I was not aware of the
fact, that Mailbots (like Google) are able to scan the listfilter pages for
e-mail addresses!
Normally it's not a problem to include e-mail addresses in the body of a e-mail,
for it will not be placed on a webpage.
This might regard also others. Do you have an idea to avoid this problem? Is
there any possibility to 'repair' this?
Thanks, and have a nice day,
Rolf
--
| Dr.Rolf Schröder | Earth Phone : +49-40-724-4650 |
| Möörkenweg 37 | National Fax: 0721-151-577722 |
| 21029 Hamburg | |
| Deutschland | http://rschr.de |
2. Re: listfilter & mailbots
- Posted by Robert Craig <rds at RapidEuphoria.com>
Oct 15, 2005
-
Last edited Oct 16, 2005
Rolf Schröder wrote:
> since about one year I receive Spam with an increasing rate, and I was
> wondering
> about it, for my address is scrambled via JS in my web page, though
> 'clickable'.
>
> Now I found out: if I use Google searching for my e-mail address, it returns
> two pages containing my e-mail address multiple times (my signature contains
> it):
>
> <a
> href="http://www.listfilter.com/cgi-bin/esearch.exu?thread=1&fromMonth=5&fromYear=9&toMonth=7&toYear=9&keywords=%22%22&first_res=101">http://www.listfilter.com/cgi-bin/esearch.exu?thread=1&fromMonth=5&fromYear=9&toMonth=7&toYear=9&keywords=%22%22&first_res=101</a>
> <a
> href="http://www.listfilter.com/cgi-bin/esearch.exu?fromMonth=6&fromYear=1&toMonth=1&toYear=A&postedBy=Robert+Craig&keywords=&first_res=301">http://www.listfilter.com/cgi-bin/esearch.exu?fromMonth=6&fromYear=1&toMonth=1&toYear=A&postedBy=Robert+Craig&keywords=&first_res=301</a>
>
> When I sent the messages about one year ago to Euforum, I was not aware of the
> fact, that Mailbots (like Google) are able to scan the listfilter pages for
> e-mail addresses!
>
> Normally it's not a problem to include e-mail addresses in the body of a
> e-mail,
> for it will not be placed on a webpage.
>
> This might regard also others. Do you have an idea to avoid this problem? Is
> there any possibility to 'repair' this?
I'm surprised that a Google search can deliver result URLs
that run CGI programs. I tend to doubt that automated harvesters
of e-mail adresses would try to run CGI programs.
They normally wouldn't know what parameters to supply to the
CGI program.
Also, I think there are many ways for your e-mail address to
be picked up and shared by spammers. If you have e-mailed
someone whose machine gets a virus, that virus might scan his
hard disk, find your address and send it "home".
There is a way to make things safer.
I could change all the at-signs to " at "
in messages saved in the archive. I already do this on EUforum.
I'd have to write a program to go through 9 years of messages
and change them. I could also consider compressing the message
archive in some format. I'll think about it.
Regards,
Rob Craig
Rapid Deployment Software
http://www.RapidEuphoria.com
3. Re: listfilter & mailbots
On Sat, 15 Oct 2005 16:50:04 -0700, Robert Craig
<guest at RapidEuphoria.com> wrote:
>I'm surprised that a Google search can deliver result URLs
>that run CGI programs. I tend to doubt that automated harvesters
>of e-mail adresses would try to run CGI programs.
>They normally wouldn't know what parameters to supply to the
>CGI program.
Google appears to return search results from cached cgi searches,
which makes sense as it obviously searches normal pages from cache
(and probably a cache of previous searches...).
I've often seen google results which are literally year-old cgi runs.
One thing I have noticed is that if you try a 'proper' link and get
say a 404, or a clearly much-updated page, rather than say a server
unavailable, and then key back, and try the cache, you might get the
page you were looking for but you'd better save it there and then if
you ever want to see it again, as google will refresh it (because you
just accessed it, especially if from Opera) in the next few days.
Regards,
Pete
4. Re: listfilter & mailbots
Robert Craig wrote:
>
> Rolf Schröder wrote:
> > ...
> > Now I found out: if I use Google searching for my e-mail address, it returns
> > two pages containing my e-mail address multiple times (my signature contains
> > it):
> >
> > <a
> > href="http://www.listfilter.com/cgi-bin/esearch.exu?thread=1&fromMonth=5&fromYear=9&toMonth=7&toYear=9&keywords=%22%22&first_res=101">http://www.listfilter.com/cgi-bin/esearch.exu?thread=1&fromMonth=5&fromYear=9&toMonth=7&toYear=9&keywords=%22%22&first_res=101</a>
> > <a
> > href="http://www.listfilter.com/cgi-bin/esearch.exu?fromMonth=6&fromYear=1&toMonth=1&toYear=A&postedBy=Robert+Craig&keywords=&first_res=301">http://www.listfilter.com/cgi-bin/esearch.exu?fromMonth=6&fromYear=1&toMonth=1&toYear=A&postedBy=Robert+Craig&keywords=&first_res=301</a>
> > ...
>
> I'm surprised that a Google search can deliver result URLs
> that run CGI programs. I tend to doubt that automated harvesters
> of e-mail adresses would try to run CGI programs.
> They normally wouldn't know what parameters to supply to the
> CGI program.
> ...
The first page in Googles cache dates Febr. 19, 2005, the second Aug. 7. 2005.
And: CGI-processed pages are not at all a problem for harvesters! I.e., search
via Google my address 'rolf.schroeder at desy.de' (replace ' at ' by '@'),
and you will find it in a CGI-processed page, and I receive plenty of
spam over this address! I myself tested some time ago a harvester program:
CGI-pages where no problem!
I believe, every online created page is suitable for e-mail harvesters
(mailbots). Why shouldn't they not?
Have a nice day, Rolf
----------------------------------------------------
| Dr.Rolf Schröder | E B |
| Möörkenweg 37 | C |
| 21029 Hamburg | D |
| Deutschland | A |
| Earth |-------------------------------|
| Solar System | Earth Phone : +49-40-724-4650 |
| Milky Way | National Fax: 0721-151-577722 |
| Local Group | |
| Known Universe | http://www.rschr.de |
----------------------------------------------------
5. Re: listfilter & mailbots
Robert Craig wrote:
> There is a way to make things safer.
> I could change all the at-signs to " at "
> in messages saved in the archive. I already do this on EUforum.
> I'd have to write a program to go through 9 years of messages
> and change them.
Done.
Regards,
Rob Craig
Rapid Deployment Software
http://www.RapidEuphoria.com
