Hack Attack: Internet & Email Security - Knowledge Share Wednesday, 04/26/17, 1-4pm ET

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@RhodesMan wrote:

I found this post published last week

AT&T Internet and Email Security

 

@RhodesMan That is great information and glad it is adding value to the community.

 

 @Tigereyze209 - thanks for the call out

 

-ATTU-verseCare

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sigh.. sadly, the worst thing you can do with unsolicited posts is reply to them, as primarily, all it does is verify yours as a valid address.

Sometimes, making entries into your blocking filter helps, but sadly, it is all but impossible to stop all of them, short of switching over to a new account.

Personally, I actually have an account that I use strictly to avoid using as my main account, and IT gets all the spam.

My att e-mail, I also only use for things directly related to ATT. Just personal preference.

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@wggmkg wrote:
Thanks, The spam messages are not from a single sender, some/many are from overseas.  it looks like my address was released and the spam filter isn't keeping up with the number of messages I'm getting. I'm fighting just dumping the Yahoo/ATT email altogether since I'm been using it for a while...

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Yeah, I've had my hotmail account for almost 20 years now, and it gets bad at times too.

It's a bit of a bother, but I find that if I start marking domains, and some individuals, it tapers off pretty quickly, it's just a pain, it's kind of tedious work.

I don't know what kind of filter the Yahoo/AT&T has (before it gets to the app or web interface), which I guess could be a factor.  Because I use hotmail from Outlook (either the app or site), the filtering is pretty tightly integrated, and seamless, so the changes I make are very portable (i.e. not just no my desktop).

Mine definitely "ramps up" over time, and then I have to go through and set more rules, do more un-subscribes, and then I'm down to a handful of bad messages a day, vs. hundreds.

It's sad that we live in a world that we have to constantly update these, but then again it's the same with the "do not call" registries and such, where now so many calls come from overseas spoofed accounts, and there's not much the FCC can do about those (in terms of practicality), list or not.

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@wggmkg wrote:
this is a an example of what I'm getting:

Bevestig uw aanmelding voor de nieuwsbrief van het NGIZ
NGIZ Today at 2:00 PMGeachte heer, mevrouw,

U bent aangemeld op onze website.
Klik op de link hieronder om het abonnement op de lijst(en): te bevestigen: 

Klik hier om de aanmelding te bevestigen.

Hartelijk dank,

namens Christine Bakker
Office Manager NGIZ

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@wggmkg

Which translates to:

Confirm your application for the NGIZ newsletter
NGIZ Today at 2:00 PM. Dear Sir, Madam,

You are logged in on our website.
Click on the link below to confirm the subscription to the list (s):

Click here to confirm the application.

Thank you,

On behalf of Christine Bakker
Office Manager NGIZ

How secure are AT&T hotspots?

1. How do I know I am on a legitimate hotspot (ie. what precautions does my phone do to not join onto a honeypot AP?)
2. How secure are vowifi calls made through a hotspot?
3. How do I report a problem with a malfunctioning AT&T ap?

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@ApexRon wrote:

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@wggmkg wrote:
this is a an example of what I'm getting:

Bevestig uw aanmelding voor de nieuwsbrief van het NGIZ
NGIZ Today at 2:00 PMGeachte heer, mevrouw,

U bent aangemeld op onze website.
Klik op de link hieronder om het abonnement op de lijst(en): te bevestigen: 

Klik hier om de aanmelding te bevestigen.

Hartelijk dank,

namens Christine Bakker
Office Manager NGIZ

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@wggmkg

Which translates to:

Confirm your application for the NGIZ newsletter
NGIZ Today at 2:00 PM. Dear Sir, Madam,

You are logged in on our website.
Click on the link below to confirm the subscription to the list (s):

Click here to confirm the application.

Thank you,

On behalf of Christine Bakker
Office Manager NGIZ

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Yeah, obviously you don't want to try and "unsubscribe" from this one, for example, as they'll just confirm your email.

In this case, you have to block the user or domain.  What you see in the header for the domain is often different from what's in the expanded header.  The email can look like it came from someone at AT&T, when in fact the expanded header shows the NGIZ address/domain.

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@LTE_blues wrote:

How secure are AT&T hotspots?

 

1. How do I know I am on a legitimate hotspot (ie. what precautions does my phone do to not join onto a honeypot AP?)
2. How secure are vowifi calls made through a hotspot?
3. How do I report a problem with a malfunctioning AT&T ap?

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On #1:

If you're 100% sure you're on a AT&T hotspot, then the hotspot itself should be secure, but ONLY as secure as a public hotspot can be (not very).

When in doubt, use a VPN, tunnel, or secure remote, these all encrypt all your use on the hotspot.

On #2:

It depends on what you mean by "secure".  Making cell calls in general is not considered "secure", at least not from a CS standpoint.

There are apps that will allow you to call (although both sides must use the app/keys) or text, securely, from almost anywhere (all your voice data is encrypted/decrypted).

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@wggmkg wrote:
Thanks, The spam messages are not from a single sender, some/many are from overseas.  it looks like my address was released and the spam filter isn't keeping up with the number of messages I'm getting. I'm fighting just dumping the Yahoo/ATT email altogether since I'm been using it for a while...

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@wggmkg

@While we understand your frustration and empathize with you, the best action is to continue to mark them as SPAM, this will help the algorithm that controls SPAM filtering better identify the SPAM. Changing to a different mail account may alleviate the issue initially it will not be a permanent means of avoiding SPAM. Also like @pgrey said setting up your own filters and blocking the offending mail address listed in the header will also help. If you wish you may PM myself and we can see if there is something more we can do to assist you.

I have lost count of the number of "free" 50 dollar walmart card offers i have gotten.. or how concerned folks seem to be about my romantic functions.... you know what I'm refering too...

Or perspective loved ones that are just wanting to continue the conversations from the facebook chats we have never had (don't even have a fb account, sigh)

or the (pick country origion of choice) prince who needs my help desperately to get his millions out of his country..   and on.. and on.. and...   well, you get the idea.

Yahoo (which as i said in an earlier post handles ATT's e-mail service) seems to have a fairly good unwanted mail blocker.. (ironically, some claim it is so good, they want to disable it completely..  I dunno why either) not sure i can compare it to hotmail, and yes, I do have an account there too. Google, like it or not, seems to have one of the best spam filters.

All seem to have their advantages and disadvantages.

And even the good ones need updating once in a while as the spammers are always working on ways to bypass blocking.

Not a real offer of a solution, more of a commiseration of shared misery.

@LTE_blues AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots almost always have the network name attwifi. You can learn more about our hotspots and their connections at https://www.att.com/esupport/article.html#!/wireless/KM1103818

@pgrey - excellent answers, especially about public wi-fi not being the most secure