Topic: Email Servers

A massive automated subscription bot attack targeted one of the hosts, flooding an inbox with over 500 confirmation emails. The incident necessitated a move to a professional email server managed by Void Zero to filter the influx of non-functional newsletters. This event mirrors a similar harassment campaign that occurred in 2020 during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in Austin, Texas.

A severe "subscription bomb" or "email bomb" attack targeted a personal email account, resulting in over 130,000 unwanted newsletter sign-ups. Mark VoidZero assisted in mitigating the attack from the Netherlands by setting up new email server protections. Such attacks are often used to obfuscate password reset notifications after a bank account or personal data breach.

One of the hosts shared a "Linux rant" about the efficiency of using command-line applications like Vim and Mutt. By removing the graphical user interface and keeping hands on the keyboard, they claim to process information much faster. They have customized their own email server to automatically sort show notes and project data using specific keywords.

An anonymous insider at MailChimp provides details on how the service manages IP address trust and whitelisting. The hosts explain that mass email services often face deliverability issues because they bundle legitimate newsletters with potential spam, leading to IP demotion by Gmail and Yahoo. They warn against centralizing email and discuss the technical hurdles of maintaining a "clean" mail server.

Newly obtained internal messages from Platte River Networks, the firm managing Hillary Clinton's private email server, reference a "Hillary cover-up operation" in early 2016. The hosts contrast the media's dismissal of current spying claims with the historical acceptance of the Edward Snowden revelations.

Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak discuss technical difficulties regarding listeners sharing files via Google Drive. Curry explains that he does not have a Google account linked to his primary email address, requiring users to adjust sharing permissions. He also notes his mail server's ten-megabyte limit on incoming attachments to manage storage space.

The hosts discuss the technical production of the show, including the episode artwork by Nick the Rat. In response to a producer's question, Adam Curry recommends "IRedMail" as a user-friendly installer for those looking to run their own Linux-based email servers to avoid spam and maintain privacy.

The hosts debate the meaning of the word "dump" as used in a John Podesta email regarding the release of Hillary Clinton's records. While one host interprets it as "disposing of garbage," the other notes it can mean "releasing data in mass." They use this disagreement to illustrate the divide in how different political "universes" interpret the same information.

WikiLeaks documents suggest President Barack Obama used a pseudonym to communicate with Hillary Clinton on her private email server. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest admitted Obama was aware of Clinton's email address but claimed the President did not know it was a private server until it was reported in the media. Tim Kaine defended the President, suggesting Obama likely didn't think about the technical setup of the emails he received.

The FBI released a 47-page redacted report on a Friday afternoon detailing its investigation into Hillary Clinton's private email server. The documents reveal that Clinton's staff occasionally destroyed mobile devices with hammers. Media outlets, including CNN and RT, provided varying interpretations of Clinton's inability to recall specific security briefings or the meaning of classification markings.

Representative Trey Gowdy criticized FBI Director James Comey's decision not to indict Hillary Clinton based on a lack of "criminal intent." Gowdy argued that the "labyrinthine effort" to set up a private server contradicts Clinton's claims of convenience and suggested that the timing of email deletions should have been a primary focus of the investigation.

A new political attack ad features historical footage of Bill Clinton’s denials regarding the Monica Lewinsky scandal overlaid with Hillary Clinton’s current statements about her private email server. The ad highlights her claims that she never sent or received material marked classified. The production is attributed to a group called American Alpaca, signaling an escalation in digital campaign tactics.

FBI Director James Comey clarified that the bureau is conducting an investigation into Hillary Clinton's private email server, rejecting the campaign's "security review" terminology. The segment covers Cheryl Mills walking out of a deposition and rumors that the Kremlin is debating whether to release 20,000 hacked emails. A satirical scenario is presented involving Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump discussing the leaked data.

Hillary Clinton tells Matt Lauer that there is "not even the remotest chance" she will face a "political perp walk" over her private email server. She characterizes the FBI investigation as a "security review." The hosts dispute Joy Reid's assertion that Clinton is the most qualified candidate since the founding fathers, comparing her resume to John Quincy Adams and Thomas Jefferson.

Hillary Clinton defended her use of a private email server during an MSNBC town hall, claiming that previous government officials like Colin Powell followed similar practices. Critics point out the distinction between using a personal email account (AOL/Gmail) and maintaining a private physical server to bypass government record-keeping.

Alec Ross, formerly the Senior Advisor for Innovation to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, addressed the private email server controversy on NPR. Ross claimed that he and many colleagues were unaware that Clinton was using a personal server for official business. He stated his focus was on international technology policy rather than internal State Department IT infrastructure.

Author Dan Bongino claims in his new book that the Clintons knew Hillary's private email server was compromised by foreign entities while it was in use. The hosts discuss the likelihood of Russian and Chinese intelligence accessing the server. They speculate that the lack of security may have been intentional to facilitate "donations" or back-channel communications.

Hillary Clinton's shift in rhetoric regarding her private email server is examined, noting her transition from dismissive to apologetic. The hosts compare her soft-spoken tone in recent interviews to her more aggressive "Hillary cadence" used in the past, suggesting a calculated campaign "reboot."

Technical analysis of Hillary Clinton's email server reveals it was managed by Platte River Networks and utilized MX Logic (now part of McAfee) for spam filtering. The hosts debunk the "server in a bathroom" meme, explaining that the MX records point to professional data centers where backups and logs likely still exist despite attempts to wipe the hardware.

Newly released State Department emails show that Hillary Clinton's private server experienced technical failures, leading to bounced messages. The discussion critiques Huma Abedin's explanation of these failures and the security implications of the private system.