Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Has Google Broken JavaScript Spam Munging?

Posted by kdawson on from the step-too-far dept.

Baxil writes "For years now, Javascript munging has been a useful tool to share email addresses on the Web without exposing them to spammers. However, Google is now apparently evaluating Javascript when assembling summary text for web pages' listings, and publishing the un-munged email addresses to the world; and spammers have started to take advantage of this kind service." Anyone else seen this affecting their carefully protected email addresses?

3 of 288 comments (clear)

  1. Re:*rolleyes* by jollyreaper · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Seriously, queue the obfuscation != security thing. If your email address is carefully protected, it is not displayed on a web page, obfuscated or not.

    You say you want a spam resolution
    Well, you know
    We all want to save our email
    You tell me that it's obfuscation
    Well, you know
    That kind of security'll fail
    So when you talk about Javascript munging
    Don't you know that you can count me out
    If it's on the net it ain't secure, all right?
    all right, all right

    You say you got a real solution
    Well, you know
    We'd all love to can the spam
    You ask me for some retribution
    Well, you know
    The Russian Mafia's got a plan
    When you spam the boxes
    of people with minds that hate
    All I can tell is brother you sealed your fate
    That spammer's gonna be canned all right
    all right, all right

    --
    Kwisatz Haderach
    Sell the spice to CHOAM
    This Mahdi took Shaddam's Throne
  2. Inevitability by Captain+Spam · · Score: 0, Redundant

    So, the ability to process JavaScript outside of a browser is somehow Google-specific?

    Frankly, this was inevitable. If JavaScript is processed by a computer in one application, it can be processed by a computer in another application, and the latter may be more Evil(tm) than the former. So what if Google stops parsing JavaScript in their summaries? How hard is it for the spammers to get a parser of their own and not even touch Google's servers?

    That's why I've never really trusted those munging hacks.

    --
    Demanding constant attention will only lead to attention.
  3. Captcha by nausea_malvarma · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Has this ever been done before: Instead of posting your email on a website, post a link to another website which stores contact information and require users to fill out a captcha before they see your email address. (I realize this is obtrusive, and time consuming. Just curious)