Recently, I disclosed a security issue in iOS 18.7.2 where attackers could bypass the 'Load remote images' security settings, without this settings anyone can send you an email with an images that is loaded remotely. Read more about it: https://support.apple.com/en-us/125633.

Junk mails is much more than it appears to be.

For example, did you know that if you read a particular mail and it just happens that it has an embedded image in it, you're already giving away a critical piece of information about yourself?
You see, the sender of that email now knows that you read it, it also knows when and how, and by the how I mean it has information about your e-mail client and maybe your IP address. With that information retrieved, the sender will personalize and send another email, every time you open it he will know more about you. The same process will repeat itself over and over and it will only get more and more damaging to you as your personal life is being teared apart.

The most dangerous thing about spam is that it is a constant threat that we cannot help but get used to, we have to forget about it, we are taught not to fight it, almost as if it were the soundtrack of society playing over and over in your ears. Well, unfortunately, we might have gotten used to the looping song by now but malicious actors did not and they will keep using this medium, a medium that does not requires any of our consent to keep gaining more knowledge about us. We are being preyed upon. Today and all the days to come know that you are every spammer's Trueman Burbank.

My recommendation:

  • Create several emails (not just one) and record every time you discloses it, to whom, how, when. This way you get actual leverage against whoever leaked it.
  • Not using iOS, any non generic android ROMs (you name it), instead, first get yourself a device that's good for low-level hacking and install the nearest thing you can get to a generic operating system.

Take back what is yours, technology.

Here are some resources to get you started: