[Full-disclosure] Google creates SPAM haven

[Adam Laurie]

I find it hard to believe that with all the resources at Google's 
disposal, they are unable to find technicians or project managers, 
designers, or whatever, that have any idea how the interweb works... 
Amazingly, despite years of SPAM being a huge problem, they have now 
created a system that allows spammers to set up mailing lists, add you 
to them unauthenticated, and then spam you by simply mailing the list 
and letting Google take care of the rest...

   http://groups.google.co.in/intl/en/googlegroups/about.html

A couple of days ago I got the following unsolicited message:

>  harpreet1977 at gmail.com has added you to the hackers a to z group with this 
> message:
> 
> Fed up with worms, viruses and hackers messing with your computer? Want to 
> know how they do it? How to defend? How to fight back? "You take the blue pill
> and the story ends.... Take the red pill and I'll show you how deep the rabbit
> hole goes,"

Within half an hour I started to receive posts to the group (typical 
script-kiddie crap). At no point did I need to send a confirmation mail 
or hit a URL to say I wanted to be subscribed...

Google's solution to this? I can block it in "My subscriptions". WTF??? 
So, as well as receiving unsolicited mail from Google (i.e., errr... 
SPAM), I'm now expected to go and subscribe to a service I have no 
interest in for the sole purpose of NOT receiving it???? Give me a 
frikkin break!

cheers,
Adam
-- 
Adam Laurie                         Tel: +44 (0) 20 7605 7000
The Bunker Secure Hosting Ltd.      Fax: +44 (0) 20 7605 7099
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