RE: Email webbugs

From: Javier Palomares Lopez (Jpalomaresat_private)
Date: Mon Aug 27 2001 - 09:30:00 PDT

  • Next message: edgar.mendezat_private: "Re: Email webbugs"

    U have an option to avoid send a confirmation in: 
    Tools => Options => Preferences tab => E-mail options => Tracking options 
    This sequence in Outlook 2000 but in OE and in other versions is very
    similar.
    
    But this isn´t the real problem. A hacker with a webserver could watch if
    your account is active, just adding a small pic and watching when did you
    loaded it in his logs.
    
    Also, He could watch your IP, your Browser and/or email client, ...
    
    Finally, I suggest that for improve your neighbourhood security, use when
    it´s possible, plain text clients and send only plain text mails.
    
    Regards, Javier Palomares.
    
    --------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Tenemos la opción de rechazar las confirmaciones en:
    Herramientas => Opciones => Pestaña de preferencias => Opciones de correo e.
    => Opciones de seguimiento. Esta secuencia es para Outlook 2000, pero para
    otras versiones y para el OE es muy parecido.
    
    Pero el problema de verdad no es ese. Un hacker con un webserver puede ver
    si tu cuenta está activa, simplemente añadiendo una imagen pequeña y
    viendolo después en los logs.
    
    Además de confirmar que tu cuenta está activa puede ver la fecha, IP,
    navegador, y/o cliente de correo, ...
    
    Por ultimo para mejorar la seguridad en vuestro entorno, sugiero que en lo
    posible, se usen clientes de texto plano y se manden mails solo en texto
    plano.
    
    Saludos. Javier Palomares.
    
    -----Mensaje original-----
    De: abuse [mailto:postmasterat_private]
    Enviado el: lunes 27 de agosto de 2001 14:13
    Para: Focus-MS
    CC: VULN-DEV@SECURITYFOCUS. COM; BUGTRAQ@SECURITYFOCUS. COM;
    win2ksecadviceat_private
    Asunto: Email webbugs
    
    
    One of the things that has always bothered me about Outlook Express and
    Outlook is that they are susceptable to webbugs. Basically there are no
    options to block confirmation of your reading an email so any spammer can
    verify that your address is active as long as they can get you to just view
    an email.
    
    A lot of people have difficulty understanding exactly what this means so I
    set up a demonstration page at http://www.nthelp.com/OEtest/oe.htm in an
    attempt to raise awareness of this nonsense and get MS to do something about
    it. I don't know if other email programs like Eudora and Netscape are
    vulnerable to email webbugs so if anyone tests those please let me know the
    results.
    
    Anyway, I've made the test site available to the public now so if you want
    to check your email reader, feel free.
    
    Geo.
    



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