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Who signs up for a porn website using their govt email address? People who are not aware of the risks, they also happen to be the most vulnerable targets (exto

Who signs up for a porn website using their govt email address? People who are not aware of the risks, they also happen to be the most vulnerable targets (extortion for example).

samsonradu 10y ago
I m sure there are a ton of throwaway emails, names and such. There are a lot of people surfing porn on the web and many remain anonymous. The problems come up when billing is involved, they need to reveal their true identity.
- Freestyler_3 10y ago
  "The database includes some 40 email addresses belonging to the US Army, and 30 related to various US, UK, and other countries’ government bodies." I don't think these people were unable to use any other email address if they were paying members. Unless they linked their bank to their work email?
  - samsonradu 10y ago
    True, the email address used when paying would most likely be matched to your account.
- intopieces 10y ago
  Anonymous? Not quite. Even without logging in, people are identifiable by things like tracking pixels.
  - samsonradu 10y ago
    I agree, in the end probably everyone is identifiable and it depends on who's after you. I meant it on a more "superficial" level eg. them not having your clear plain personal data.
    - intopieces 10y ago
      That makes sense. But I do think we use the word 'anonymous' too often when we talk about the Internet, and it leads people to believe, falsely, that if they don't log in to a website then no one ever knows they've visited. Quite the contrary. Imagine, as someone mentioned elsewhere in this thread I think, if the adtrackers got hacked. What might it reveal about you? If someone threatened to email your boss your entire browsing history, how much would you pay to prevent that? What if it was being sent to you wife? Your mother? What if it were being broadcast to the world at large? These hacks are a dime-a-dozen. Everyone sees Ashley Madison hacks or xHamster hacks and thinks, 'well that's not me. I don't go to those sites.' But it very well could be you. Or worse, someone could falsely claim it was you...
chillingeffect 10y ago
hell we don't even know if the referenced email accounts were stolen or not. The article says the addresses are "military," but we have no idea how securely the affected branches treat their accounts. They could have default passwords which were never logged into by the original owners.
- Freestyler_3 10y ago
  Fair point. I am not aware, does xhamster require confirmation of the email address before using the account? That might also be a way to sign up using someone elses email.
- withdavidli 10y ago
  This is a good point. One year the military healthcare company was hacked 2-3 times. Imagine all the information the govt makes you fill out to do something simple, how easy it would be to hack an email account knowing all the info you need for medical services.

Who signs up for a porn website using their govt email address? People who are not aware of the risks, they also happen to be the most vulnerable targets (extortion for example).

samsonradu 10y ago

I m sure there are a ton of throwaway emails, names and such. There are a lot of people surfing porn on the web and many remain anonymous. The problems come up when billing is involved, they need to reveal their true identity.

Freestyler_3 10y ago
"The database includes some 40 email addresses belonging to the US Army, and 30 related to various US, UK, and other countries’ government bodies." I don't think these people were unable to use any other email address if they were paying members. Unless they linked their bank to their work email?
- samsonradu 10y ago
  True, the email address used when paying would most likely be matched to your account.
intopieces 10y ago
Anonymous? Not quite. Even without logging in, people are identifiable by things like tracking pixels.
- samsonradu 10y ago
  I agree, in the end probably everyone is identifiable and it depends on who's after you. I meant it on a more "superficial" level eg. them not having your clear plain personal data.
  - intopieces 10y ago
    That makes sense. But I do think we use the word 'anonymous' too often when we talk about the Internet, and it leads people to believe, falsely, that if they don't log in to a website then no one ever knows they've visited. Quite the contrary. Imagine, as someone mentioned elsewhere in this thread I think, if the adtrackers got hacked. What might it reveal about you? If someone threatened to email your boss your entire browsing history, how much would you pay to prevent that? What if it was being sent to you wife? Your mother? What if it were being broadcast to the world at large? These hacks are a dime-a-dozen. Everyone sees Ashley Madison hacks or xHamster hacks and thinks, 'well that's not me. I don't go to those sites.' But it very well could be you. Or worse, someone could falsely claim it was you...

chillingeffect 10y ago

hell we don't even know if the referenced email accounts were stolen or not. The article says the addresses are "military," but we have no idea how securely the affected branches treat their accounts. They could have default passwords which were never logged into by the original owners.

Freestyler_3 10y ago
Fair point. I am not aware, does xhamster require confirmation of the email address before using the account? That might also be a way to sign up using someone elses email.
withdavidli 10y ago
This is a good point. One year the military healthcare company was hacked 2-3 times. Imagine all the information the govt makes you fill out to do something simple, how easy it would be to hack an email account knowing all the info you need for medical services.