Reply to: Hiding IP address

[DaveB]

All the free web mail services, Hotmail, YahooMail etc include the originating IP address of the sender for exactly this reason, so that spammers using the service can be traced.

Anyone with some technical ability and a google search should be able to find out how to successfully spoof an IP address or find and exploit a badly configured mail server, but really the easiest way to do it is to go to an internet cafe and use one of their PC's. Don't forget to pay cash.

Having said all that, and as has been pointed out, the legality of this is questionable at best. If the intent of your mail bombing is to disrupt the targets mail system or internet service, it is illegal. If you use an open relay to do it, it's illegal. If you actually succeed and cause the intended disruption, it is illegal.

Besides which, if the sysadmins running the mailserver you are targeting are at all on the ball they will spot what is happeing and /dev/null all the incoming mail within a few minutes and stymie your attempted attack anyway. Then they will start trying to figure out where it came from.


If you really want to get back at someone and you know their email address there are many, many, websites out there supplying what may be described as "questionable content". They usually offer a nice and easy way to subscribe to them, very often without requiring any form of confirmation. Explaining to the powers that be just why your inbox has suddenly filled up with jpegs from www.twogirlsandadonkey.com can be hazardous to your career path.

[basshead]

If you send the emails with the intention of interrupting service then its a crime and its pretty idiotic not to think otherwise. If the 'several thousand emails' are not intended to interrupt service then you're off the hook. The emails modify the system by arriving and being stored.

The Computer Misuse Act is quite clear:

3.—(1) A person is guilty of an offence if—

(a) he does any act which causes an unauthorised modification of the contents of any computer; and

(b) at the time when he does the act he has the requisite intent and the requisite knowledge.

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1)(b) above the requisite intent is an intent to cause a modification of the contents of any computer and by so doing—

(a) to impair the operation of any computer;

(b) to prevent or hinder access to any program or data held in any computer; or

(c) to impair the operation of any such program or the reliability of any such data.

(3) The intent need not be directed at—

(a) any particular computer;

(b) any particular program or data or a program or data of any particular kind; or

(c) any particular modification or a modification of any particular kind.

[BrilloPad]

Worth quoting someone planning to commit a crime

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/08...bomber_guilty/

I did see that case - I was quite suprised at the result. Thing is sending people unwanted emails (i.e. spam) is only a crime if you are soliciting. I have a friend who has the relevant statutes - will ask him for the full details.

And how can sending someone an email be modifying a computer system if there is no virus attached?

[basshead]

its at home behind a router. I want to send someone several thousand emails using something like Atomic Mail Sender

Worth quoting someone planning to commit a crime

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/08...bomber_guilty/

[BrilloPad]

Anonomyzer is good for hiding. $29.95 though.

Thanks for the recommendation. Hopefully they do a free trial - will report back.

[Dr. Nick Riviera]

Hotmail add an extra SMTP header, something like "X-Originating-IP" to identify you.

Really? Dodgy, but probably advisable considering the reprobates that use hotmail.

You seen these new "find my IP address" things: http://www.ip-adress.com/
- Scary. Kind of makes you fell like an extra in one of those gulf war videos - with a cruise missile targetted on the back of your head.

Anonomyzer is good for hiding. $29.95 though.

[BrilloPad]

Actually there's loads of ways to do this.

But I'm not going to tell you any.

Why don't you ask the internet?

I did try a couple of programs but they did not work. Which was why I was wondering if anyone had tried this.

[NoddY]

You can try Tor, the Onion router: http://tor.eff.org/ from the tin foil hat wearers at the EFF.

Expect a knock on the door from Special Branch when Gary Glitter views his websites via your router.

[NoddY]

Perhaps I'm missing something, but how can a hotmail mail have your IP address? The mail is sent from the hotmail server.

Hotmail add an extra SMTP header, something like "X-Originating-IP" to identify you.

[Dr. Nick Riviera]

I want to hide my ip address. Any good way of doing this?

Thanks
Andy

Actually there's loads of ways to do this.

But I'm not going to tell you any.

Why don't you ask the internet?

[Ruprect]

its at home behind a router. I want to send someone several thousand emails using something like Atomic Mail Sender

Are you 419 baiting?

[BrilloPad]

Perhaps I'm missing something, but how can a hotmail mail have your IP address? The mail is sent from the hotmail server.

good point - I will check. I know it does it for AMS and Outlook.

[Dr. Nick Riviera]

All emails I send(from hotmail or Outlook or AMS) have my router address but then has my real IP address behind it. I would not be too bothered if my IP was dynamic.

Perhaps I'm missing something, but how can a hotmail mail have your IP address? The mail is sent from the hotmail server.

[freakydancer]

put a blanket over it - that should keep it nice and hidden.

[BrilloPad]

So your home IP is hidden but you want to hide you WAN IP?

All emails I send(from hotmail or Outlook or AMS) have my router address but then has my real IP address behind it. I would not be too bothered if my IP was dynamic.