Today I received some spam email. This was the first spam mail to arrive on my "arduino" email address. Since I use dedicated email addresses for everything it is absolutely clear that the only way to get hold of this address was through the Arduino forum.
In my setup my email address is set to "invisible".
It is not a really big deal because I will change the address. However I am always curious how the address might have leaked.
Has anyone and idea how this might have happened?
Udo
maybe mowsius gave it, he and all that negative karma 
You didn't get it as a PM did you? That would stink if we started getting spam that way.
No, no PM. This was standard SPAM 
And I am still wondering.
Udo
maybe mowcius gave it, he and all that negative karma
Hey it wasn't me 
In my setup my email address is set to "invisible".
Has it always been set like that?
Also, is it on yahoo or gmail or hotmail or something? Email addresses for them can be gained lots of ways, if it's something obvious-ish (name+number) or something then it might have just been a bot trying email addresses.
It was always set to invisible. And it belong to my own domain. All other (>50) email addresses are unaffected, including the dedicated bait addresses.
I never use yahoo, gmail or others. Of course someone might have some of my email addresses in some yahoo, gmail or other address book. But not the arduino specific address. Even if I would have given it away, I would expect that some of the others would be affected just as well.
Udo
@mowcius: I think you are a living proof that the Karma system is something that should go down the drain.
Heh, take a look at grumpy mike 
At least I have lots of + karma too.
It was always set to invisible. And it belong to my own domain. All other (>50) email addresses are unaffected, including the dedicated bait addresses.
Yeah that is weird then.
Yeah, Grumpy Mike is another proof. The whole Karma approach is weird. Feedback without knowing for what. No clue why it was introduced. Looks like a "we can do it so let's try it" feature.
Udo
Guys,
please keep the Karma discussion for the Karma thread.
On the topic that matters here: I have no clue about the email address issue. No settings have been changed. It is a different question if anyone might have hacked the system. According to my logs that hasn't happened (I keep my fingers crossed)
/d
[quote author=Udo Klein link=topic=51547.msg367542#msg367542 date=1297187982]Since I use dedicated email addresses for everything it is absolutely clear that the only way to get hold of this address was through the Arduino forum.
[/quote]
No, it's not. But it can seem that way.
Spammers are crafty. Since you've registered your domain they know it's being used. They will flood a domain with every possible email address they can think of hoping to get lucky. It doesn't cost them anything so why not. Usually they try the common one's first...
webmaster@
info@
billing@
etc...
Then move to names...
asmith@
bsmith@
csmith@
etc...
Really nasty ones will move to dictionary words...
apple@
banana@
carrot@
Unless your email address is d7df7d5s4w83offr8df7d79f@yourdomain.com there is a possibility you could get spam.
Who's the spam from? Is it electronics related? I keep getting spam from 'cool components'.
It is spanish source advertising penis enlargements (in spanish). I would expect that the arduino Forum is not exactly the proper target group. On the other side - most members here are male 
Udo
"On the other side - most members here are male "- Yes, but well equipped males, for all you ladies out there :*
I've got a multimeter, soldering iron, 3 oscilloscopes, a big pile of parts ...
I see. Anyone else getting spam mails from 'cool components'?
doublet:
I see. Anyone else getting spam mails from 'cool components'?
You sure you're getting spam from them?
It is a UK based electronics store and as far as I know, relatively well regarded.
I'd just go and send them an email if you are getting unwanted emails.
mowcius:
doublet:
I see. Anyone else getting spam mails from 'cool components'?You sure you're getting spam from them?
It is a UK based electronics store and as far as I know, relatively well regarded.I'd just go and send them an email if you are getting unwanted emails.
I'm sure I have never given my e-mail adress (at least not my primary one) to some kind of electronics company. The only way it could be linked with electronics is the Arduino forum (it was publically viewable).
doublet:
(it was publically viewable).
It still is...
doublet: you have your email address displayed to the forum members at least (the one at hotmail, no clue if that is the one you are using)