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E-Mail

basic e-mail definitions

BCC:
Blind Carbon Copy
Sends an e-mail without revealing other recipients. Message appears as if it was only e-mailed to the recipient and not a group.
CC:
Carbon Copy
Sends a copy of the e-mail to another recipient
headers
Headers contain the technical info about the e-mail including the last several hops between servers the e-mail traveled.
IMAP
Internet Message Access Protocol
E-mail is held by the e-mail server and the user can directly edit the e-mail on the e-mail server.
POP3
Post Office Protocol (version 3)
E-mail is held by the e-mail server until it is downloaded by the user for editing on a computer separate from the e-mail server.
SMTP
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
Protocol used to transfer e-mail

E-Mail settings for various Internet providers

modified 2015-10-07

Comcast POP3 Comcast IMAP Verizon BELD AOL (IMAP) Google Mail (IMAP) Hotmail Hotmail (IMAP) SecureServer.net/GoDaddy (IMAP)
incoming server mail.comcast.net imap.comcast.net pop.verizon.net pop3.beld.net imap.aol.com imap.gmail.com pop3.live.com imap-mail.outlook.com imap.secureserver.net
incoming port 110, 995 (SSL) 143, 993 (SSL) 995 (SSL) 110 993 (SSL) 993 (SSL) 995 (SSL) 993 (SSL) 993 (SSL)
outgoing server smtp.comcast.net smtp.comcast.net smtp.verizon.net smtp.beld.net smtp.aol.com smtp.gmail.com smtp.live.com smtp.live.com smtpout.secureserver.net
outgoing port 587, 465 (SSL) 587, 465(SSL) 465 (SSL) 25 465 (SSL) 465 or 587 (TLS) 25 or 587 587 (SSL) 465 (SSL)

E-mail a group without revealing everyone's address

Normally when you e-mail a group of people you would fill in the TO: with e-mail addresses or add e-mail addresses into the CC: field. If you want to e-mail a group of people but do not want to reveal the e-mail address of everyone listed you can use the BCC: field. To properly use the BCC: field you fill the TO: field with your e-mail address and populate the BCC: field(s) with the e-mail recipients. When a recipient recieves the e-mail the FROM: field will contain your e-mail address and the e-mail will appear as if it were only addressed to the recipient.

e-mail via TELNET

This is one way that is legitimate, but is used by spammers to send off their mass junk e-mails.

  1. Open a command prompt.
  2. telnet mailserver.com 25. A 220 response telling you what the e-mail server is running.
  3. HELO your.local.domain (your domain name). You'll receive a 250 response if successful.
  4. MAIL FROM:some_name@some_domain.com (your e-mail address). A 250 response as a positive confirmation.
  5. RCPT TO:whoever@you_want.com (the recipient's e-mail address). A 250 response is a positive confirmation.
  6. DATA
  7. Type in the body of the e-mail.
  8. To end DATA input hit Enter to start a new line, type a period, then hit Enter again. A 250 response is positive.
  9. QUIT. A 221 response says the connection was closed properly.

recover AOL e-mail saved on your computer

In Windows XP files are kept in the directory C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\AOL\C_America Online 9.x\organize
In Windows 7 the files are kept in C:\ProgramData\AOL\C_America Online 9.x\organize

  1. Close AOL and kill the waol.exe process.
  2. Backup the current organize folder by copying it to another location or rename the organize folder to organize.save.
  3. Copy the old organize folder and paste it in the default directory. C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\AOL\C_America Online 9.x\ or C:\ProgramData\AOL\C_America Online 9.x\.
  4. Start AOL.

SPAM

backscatter
bounceback messages from legitimate e-mail servers that have had their e-mail filters bypassed

Have you ever received a returned e-mail with a subject line pushing Viagra or something else? You know you didn't send it and you can only wonder if your machine has been compromised. Turns out that a spammer has found your e-mail address published on the Web somewhere and is using it to bypass an e-mail server's filtration system.

Normally the e-mail server's filter would delete e-mail from non-existant domains. If you use a real domain for the e-mail sender then you've bypassed the filter. Since spammers send out in massive bulk they're bound to send to an e-mail address that no longer exists. When an e-mail is addressed to a non-existant address then it is returned to the sender. Since your e-mail appears to be the sender, the e-mail server returns the e-mail to your address instead of the spammer who originally sent it.

GMail

enable full-time SSL encryption during sessions

This will help prevent a hack that would allow an attacker to sniff traffic for a cookie containing your session ID. With this cookie data the attacker can log in without a password.

  1. Log into your GMail account.
  2. Click on Settings near the top-right.
  3. Scroll down to the Browser connection row.
  4. Activate the radio button next to Always use https.
  5. Log out of your GMail account by clicking Sign Out at the top-right.
  6. Delete all cookies from the Web browser.
  7. Log in to https://mail.google.com/.

Use Google Apps to host your domain's e-mail

modified 2013-06-15

  1. Sign up with Google Apps for Business. It is no longer free, but the pricing is reasonable.
  2. Log into your domain provider's control panel. You need to work your way into the DNS records. You'll be changing your MX records point to Google's servers. Change to the settings below:
Priority Mail server
1 ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM
5 ALT1.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM
5 ALT2.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM
10 ASPMX2.GOOGLEMAIL.COM
10 ASPMX3.GOOGLEMAIL.COM

E-mail to text message

You can send a text message to a cell phone via e-mail. Find the recipient's provider below and replace number with their 10-digit cell phone number.