Preventing Email harvesters.... can it be done?
 

Is there any simple solution that could be done to a page to hide the email address... so that those email harvester programs cant steal the email for their list?

use a cgi program for your mail, make sure the e-mail address is in the cgi script, not in a form on your page.

:thumbsup

Use an email harvester trap :)
(page that creates 100 random valid but bogus email addresses, then links to itself with a different seed, a.i.)

use this:

mailto:[email protected];com

use a cgi/php program

stupid fucking censorship.
script didnt go thru.

oh well.

[email protected] for example ;-)

Use j.a.v.a.s.c.r.i.p.t to print the email addresss...

var user = 'webmaster';
var at = '@';
var domain = 'mydomain';
var tld = '.com';

document.write("<a href='mailto:"+user+at+domain+tld+"'>"+user+at+ domain+tld+"</a>");

Hey, that's cool, good idea! But if you really want to hide it, cgi (or php) is the only way to go.

:thumbsup Thanks guys

A server side option will hide your email address but it means you have to use a form for people to contact you. The problem with forms, is they rely on the user to enter their information correctly or you might not be able to contact them. A mailto link is much more likely to produce a message with a working return address.

You don't need to publish your address for it to be harvested. It can be taken directly from the mail server.

Only if you use obvious usernames....

How? By blasting the server with e-mails until you get a response?

Well, maybe. A wise mailer always has an extensive list. It took 1/7 of a second to take 20 emails from a mail server belonging to one of Europe's largest ISPs. :1orglaugh

poepperl@ *
poeppel@ *
poeple@ *
poephagus@ *
poephagous@ *
poephaga@ *
poep@ *
poenskopolifant@ *
poenskop@ *
poenisch@ *
poetasterism@ *
poetastering@ *
poetaster@ *
poetae@ *
poeta@ *
poet1@ *
poet@ *
poesys@ *
poesy@ *
poesy6@ *

.

Wow. How can you stop that? On the server side?

The easiest way? Dont get an email address.

I don't know, but I believe it is possible. Try harvesting on earthlink/netzero/juno domains, and some others, they will stop responding after verifying about 40k-50k emails. It creates a lot of hassle when a person has a list of 2-3mil+ letter combinations and words to get through.

So what software did you use? :Graucho

Stop responding to hosts that appear to be scanning for addresses.

I already said too much. :1orglaugh

what if they use a list of 100 000 proxies or somethin'?

haha....

I have an article floating around somewhere on this exact topic ill dig it out and post a link :)

Regards,

Lee