Re: websites and privacy

[Tim Greer <chatmaster () charter net>]

On Tue, 2003-09-16 at 14:22, Hephaestus wrote:
> > > I am browsing a website & next day I get spam from them in my
> mailbox....
> > > Is this coincidence?
> > >
> > > Or in general
> > >
> > > What is the maximum harm in terms of privacy that a malicious web site
> can
> > > cause to a casual surfer?
> >
> > Did you submit a form or give them your email address?  If not, the
> > question is what are you running and how is your browser configured?  If
> > you didn't submit or somehow give them your email address, then unless
> > it's coincidence, you better check your settings.
>
> Also be aware that if you have a cookie on your machine that can be tracked
> back to your identity due to your interactions with another participating
> site, a website can identify you.  In the absence of a coincidence, I would
> suspect one of the banner ad/user tracking networks like doubleclick or
> sextracker.
>
> A variety of cookie related tools can help mitigate this threat.
>
> http://www.junkbusters.com/cookies.html
> http://www.epic.org/privacy/cookies/default.html

Right, assuming one of those other sites are one that you submitted your email address to at some point, of course. :-)
-- 
Tim Greer <chatmaster () charter net>