Patch me if you can: Cyberattack Series
The Microsoft Incident Response team takes swift action to help contain a ransomware attack and regain positive administrative control of the customer environment.
How do spammers get my email address?
There are several common ways that spammers can get your email address:
- Crawling the web for the @ sign. Spammers and cybercriminals use sophisticated tools to scan the web and harvest email addresses. If you publicly post your email address online, a spammer will find it.
- Making good guesses… and lots of them. Cybercriminals use tools to generate common user names and pair them with common domains. These tools are similar to the ones that are used to crack passwords. And they work.
- Tricking your friends. Even if you know better than to publicly post your email address on the web, it could still be stored in the email inbox of anyone who’s ever emailed you or whom you’ve ever emailed. Cybercriminals can steal contact lists or use social engineering to trick people into giving them access.
- Buying lists. Spammers can purchase lists legally and illegally. When you sign up for a website or a service, make sure you read the privacy policy carefully to find out what the site plans to do with your email address.
It pays to keep your email address as private as possible, but sometimes it seems like there’s nothing you can do to keep it out of the hands of spammers. For this reason you have to combine smart privacy practices with strong email filters.
All of the most recent versions of Microsoft’s email services (including Hotmail) use a strong filter called SmartScreen.
Related Posts
-
-
Why endpoint management is key to securing an AI-powered future
With the coming wave of AI, this is precisely the time for organizations to prepare for the future. To be properly ready for AI, Zero Trust principles take on new meaning and scope. The right endpoint management strategy can help provide the broadest signal possible and make your organization more secure and productive for years to come.
-
Cyber Signals: Shifting tactics fuel surge in business email compromise
Business email operators seek to exploit the daily sea of email traffic to lure victims into providing financial and other sensitive business information.
-
Microsoft Security highlights from RSA Conference 2023
At RSA Conference April 24 to 26, 2023, Microsoft Security shared solution news and insights. Watch Vasu Jakkal’s keynote on-demand (video courtesy of RSA conference).