[TriLUG] No To: field in spam

[Mike M]

On Thu, Jan 29, 2004 at 09:27:47AM -0500, Christopher L Merrill wrote:
> Mike M wrote:
> >I am finding all of the malware attached email arrives with no To:
> >field.  This is a nice feature since procmail dumps such email into my
> >DEFAULT mailbox which I never look at.  Why would a spammer omit the To:
> >field?  
> 
> Maybe to bypass spam filters?  Many ISPs recently started filtering
> out e-mail that was delivered to a different user than the To: field
> indicated.  This broke e-mail lists for many people, because the
> mass-mail or mail-list software used was not addressing the To: field
> for the individual recipient.  Mailman, for example, added that feature
> in the last 12-18 months, I think.  It is possible that those ISPs
> filters _are_ allowing email with _no_ To: field to be delivered to the
> intended recipient.
> 
> just a guess...

Interesting. Makes my life easier: reject all email missing a To: field.  
It's too good to be true.  They should just include a
field called X-Spam: with values like African Investment Opportunity and
Microsoft Update.

-- 
Mike