SECURITY Signal 611 2 feeds carried it
Flood of AI-generated thank-you replies hits Schneier's newsletter confirmation emails
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Illustration only Photo by Konstantin Evdokimov on Unsplash
Bruce Schneier reports receiving a large number of AI-generated one-line thank-you replies to his newsletter subscription confirmation emails, and he cannot identify the underlying scam.
This incident highlights a new pattern of AI-generated spam that targets automated email workflows. Engineers building email systems or anti-spam tools should be aware that such replies can be used to probe or manipulate systems, even if the immediate goal is unclear. It also underscores the challenge of distinguishing genuine engagement from automated flattery.
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Schneier's newsletter subscription confirmation requires a reply to an auto-generated email to prevent subscribing others' addresses.
Starting last weekend, he received many one-line thank-you replies, all from Gmail addresses, none of which had actually subscribed.
He suspects AI-generated content and a scam, but no one has responded to his replies, so the purpose remains unknown.
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