[PSA] Joost sells email addresses

[Michael Brian Bentley]

>I don't think you can be certain that Joost sold your address. The 
>spam could have been the result of Directory Harvest.
>
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directory_Harvest_Attack
>
>  M

I think this is still an attack based on the use of a dictionary of 
likely or possible address names. If you use an unlikely name, 
something that otherwise looks like an arcane password, such as 
M2rg4tr0yd_ (at)Ivorytower(dot)com, the dictionary is unlikely to 
contain that name--unless the name slips into spammer consciousness 
by using it in the open on Usenet, or by sending it to a company that 
claims to not sell contact information... making the name as arcane 
as possible for use in one specific, private situation is going to 
make it difficult to describe how a spammer got hold of it by any way 
other than the recipient selling it.

Because some enterprising Joost employee may be taking liberties with 
incoming addresses in a fashion counter to expressed Joost policy, 
I'd try to contact Joost and complain about it. The beauty of 
one-shot names is that they can be turned off instantly.

-Mike