Forum Topic

Spam mail

Seem to be getting some raunchy stuff arriving in spam mail which just deleting as it arrives, was wondering if anyone else on this site is having problems like this and how to stop it if possible.....thanks

Janice Evans ● 3243d17 Comments

I am just burning some more Knoppix version 7.7.1 DVD's from October 2016 if you would like to try one. I do not know when the next version will appear, they are updated fairly frequently, usually sourced by the University of Koln, and I download from the University of Kent mirrorservice.org. If you wish to explore further, the latest version of Debian 9.1.0 is being built this weekend and should be ready for download this week, see debian.orgMy website is at http://chrisbell.org.uk

Christopher Bell ● 3202d

Thank you Christopher for your replies and all the info you have given it is very much appreciated.

Janice Evans ● 3240d

When I run a computer from a Knoppix DVD it does not use the operating system installed on the computer, it uses its own system from the DVD. You can still access your hard disc if you wish, (and it is an excellent method of recovering files from a crashed system). Everything is run using the computer's RAM, and all data there is lost when the machine is re-booted.If you are running a computer from its own installed operating system you must rely on a cleaning facility to remove things such as stored history, cookies, stored graphics, etc, Cookies are supposed to remove themselves when their job is done, but it is not wise to depend on that, while some are deliberately installed to gather information to be delivered as programmed and configured. It then depends on your operating system how much freedom is allowed to the cookies.Knoppix is based on the Debian distribution of Linux. If you wish to try a Knoppix DVD it can be downloaded as an ISO image, to be copied complete to DVD, from various mirrors including the University of Kent mirrorservice.org, or I could re-start producing copies myself.There is more information on my website,http://chrisbell.org.uk

Christopher Bell ● 3241d

That's interesting Christopher you must be an expert on this,  if I just clear any information from a site that uses cookies or switch off for a while would that stop them accessing info.

Janice Evans ● 3241d

I normally use a "live" DVD such as Knoppix when accessing sites, it is very difficult to corrupt a DVD, and all junk is removed by a simple re-boot. However it should even be possible on Microsoft to clear history, cookies, etc. No problem with the Free Open Source Debian system that I use, even when I do use the installed system..

Christopher Bell ● 3241d

Do always read the Cookie Terms and Conditions John and have agreed on very few sites, and will continue to delete these unknown emails as they arrive.

Janice Evans ● 3242d

Janice,use a good internet security programme like,AGV or Norton,dont agree to cookies if you dont need or want them,and above all DO NOT OPEN UP UNKNOWN E MAILS,regards John.

Dr John Stolworthy D.Sc ● 3242d

Haven't had anything like that yet Lorna mostly raunchy stuff and a dodgy Paypal one which I did report and was told that those ones are definately dodgy if they do not know your name and address them Dear Member and things like that as they don't actually know the name  of the person they are sending to, and they ask you to update your payment details.

Janice Evans ● 3242d

Was always uneasy about visiting sites that us Cookies, if agree to their Terms and Conditions they then have access to information on our computers and how do we know who this information is then passed on to, could this be a way of these nuisance/hackers getting information.

Janice Evans ● 3242d

Most junk is sent via "botnets" of compromised computers, so not known by the computer owners. Do not believe the "From" headers, the only thing not easily forged is the IP address of the sender, normally within square brackets, before the first known receiver, either your computer or the ISP's mailserver, because that is the address logged by the trusted machine. ISP's do run checks, including listing the sending address of the sender together with a mathematical checksum based on the contents to count the number of similar messages that are being sent in a given time. Other checks based on reported address and content are made to internet blacklists.

Christopher Bell ● 3242d

Lorna,Just carry on deleting them do not open them up your computer is at risk from a virus,regards John.

Dr John Stolworthy D.Sc ● 3242d

There seems to be an enormous amount of this stuff going round at the moment - my spam folder is full of it. Mostly people informing me that untold wealth is mine if I just get in touch, usually from an official of the U.N., but still the occasional 'Dear Beloved' who is dying in some distant country... If they purport to come from an official organisation such as PayPal or a bank, I send them to Action Fraud, but it is a nuisance.Of course, if I just ignored it and didn't look at the spam folder at all... but am always curious to see what tall tale they will come up with next. (Couple of US military types in Afghanistan with large amounts of cash to move recently!)

Lorna Dodd ● 3242d

Janice,You can block e mails your self,or just delete them,Ihave looked at the system and i would not use it,Regards John.

Dr John Stolworthy D.Sc ● 3242d

Good if its working, all sounds very complicated to me and don't know why they don't stop them if they know they are dodgy which they must do to send them to spam mail.

Janice Evans ● 3242d

I have been receiving a growing amount of spam recently, and am training spamassassin to not just mark it as spam but reject it before it is accepted and use teergrube (tarpit) facilities to waste the time and resources of the senders. Some appears to be related to Russia, some to Brazil, and most are pushing pills. I also see a lot of requests to relay emails, all rejected, and hacking attempts aimed at my email system, all blocked, and now diminishing rapidly as they are tar-pitted for a few hours each.

Christopher Bell ● 3242d

Thank you John, I won't open them.

Janice Evans ● 3242d

Janice,We all get some of this from time to time,DELETE do not open up any E MAIL you dont reconise it may contain a virus?regards John.

Dr John Stolworthy D.Sc ● 3242d