Another Mersenne Forum
 

I found an email on my phone yesterday afternoon advertising a "new" Mersenne Forum. It is [URL="https://www.selroc.systems/"]here[/URL]. The strange thing, the email is not addressed to me, specifically. The message has a lengthy distribution list, on which, I do not appear. I find this really dubious. I would consider it nothing more than spam. The message is still in my Gmail inbox.

The [B][U]who[/U][/B] is a known Mersenne Forum user. They don't like the way that work is distributed. They want to run off and find factors in ranges that are years and decades ahead of the current useful zones.

[QUOTE=storm5510;550760]The strange thing, the email is not addressed to me, specifically. The message has a lengthy distribution list, on which, I do not appear. I find this really dubious. I would consider it nothing more than spam.[/QUOTE]

What this means is your email address was "BCC'ed" into the list. If you View Original Message and look at the SMTP lines (read from the bottom up), you'll see what address was used to reach you.

Someone even attempting to compete with Mersenne Forum is quite amusing...

[QUOTE=chalsall;550762]Someone even attempting to compete with Mersenne Forum is quite amusing...[/QUOTE]
Especially when they link to the MF

How did the user get the list of email addresses?

[QUOTE=chalsall;550762]What this means is your email address was "BCC'ed" into the list. If you View Original Message and look at the SMTP lines (read from the bottom up), you'll see what address was used to reach you.

Someone even attempting to compete with Mersenne Forum is quite amusing...[/QUOTE]

I was able to get the raw message. It is attached, as a text file, below. I am definitely in the recipient list. GMail flagged it as having something called SPF records inside. I followed the link and it mentions "spoofing." Many of you are far more wise about this sort of thing than I am. See what you can make of it.

There is, at least, one member here in the list of addresses, mine. There may be others. My email address is in a protected area, as is everyone else's. So, how did they get it. Did they manage to get inside the Primenet server? There is another possibility. Facebook. GIMPS has a page there, or did. I only use it to keep up with relatives and old school friends. A list of people who "Liked" the GIMPS page may be accessible to someone who knows the shady ways of the web.

[QUOTE=uncwilly]The [B][U]who[/U][/B] is a known Mersenne Forum user. They don't like the way that work is distributed. They want to run off and find factors in ranges that are years and decades ahead of the current useful zones. [/QUOTE]

I have a pretty good idea as to the identity of the [U]who[/U]. However, I will not divulge my suspicion(s) just in case I may be incorrect.

[QUOTE=chalsall;550762]Someone even attempting to compete with Mersenne Forum is quite amusing...[/QUOTE]Especially with only 20 email addresses contacted, per storm5510's attachment. Could have been batched in lots of 20 though.

[QUOTE=Uncwilly;550761]The [B][U]who[/U][/B] is a known Mersenne Forum user. They don't like the way that work is distributed. They want to run off and find factors in ranges that are years and decades ahead of the current useful zones.[/QUOTE]
And quite a [URL="https://mersenneforum.org/showthread.php?t=24633"]fun person[/URL] to be around... not.

Please delete that attachment, you can access it without being signed in and it contains emails and names.

I looked at the site's Forum. With one exception, all areas were started two weeks ago. The exception was started 5 days ago.

Without exception, the number of posts in each area is equal to the number of topics created.

I began to think I was hearing the sound of crickets chirping...

[QUOTE=M344587487;550779]Please delete that attachment, you can access it without being signed in and it contains emails and names.[/QUOTE]
Done.