[Tfug] Telnet/mail

[Adrian]

On Sun, 09 Jun 2002, you wrote:
> I really do not know why I wanted to telnet into pop.  I'm not even sure I
> know what my expectations were at that point.  I did it, it was fun, and now
> its back to a email client.
> 
Aahhh.... Whimping out eh? I telnet into my pop mail server all the time, mostly
for security reasons.

Hey, shut-up, let me explain. As you know, or just found out, pop3 is clear
text, so your user name and pasword to access mail are in clear text. It just
happens these are usually also your ISP user names and passwords, anyone who
grabs them can dial in on your account. Fortunately, on your home ISP, it's
only a few hops inside your ISP, so there's not to much of a chance of being
sniffed. When your off on somebody else network and retreive email your user
name/password go who knows where.

That's why I frequenty ssh into my home box and then telnet to the pop3 from
there.

Adrian
-- 
- I just tried this on my old Packard Bell 486/66 w/4MB (Hey ...
- shut-up! I was young, ignorant, and didn't know anything about
- hardware or quality manufacturers.).