TITLE : Using telnet to collect mail from a pop3 server. OS LEVEL : None DATE : 07/06/2000 VERSION : 1.0 ORIGINALLY FROM: http://www.mort.level5.net/johnr/howto/pop3.txt ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To log into the pop3 server :- 1, Telnet to the pop3 server on port 110 : telnet pop3.server.name 110 You should get an "+OK" response. 2, Enter your pop3 user account name : user roebuckj You should get an "+OK" response. 3, Enter your pop3 user account password : pass letmein You should get an "+OK" response. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- You are now logged into the pop3 server and can list, read and delete the mail messages on the server. Basic commands :- stat Reports number of mail messages on the server, and the total size in bytes. list Lists the size of each mail message in bytes. retr (mail message number) Cats the mail message to screen dele (mail message number) Deletes the mail message from the server rset Resets the status of all emails on the server to "unread". quit Logs out of the pop3 server and closes the telnet session. POP3 server replys :- +OK -ERR ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- EXAMPLE : --------- root@kevin(/etc)>telnet pop.mailserver.net 110 Trying... Connected to pop.mailserver.net Escape character is '^]'. +OK <29912.957778379@pop.mailserver.net> user roebuckj +OK pass letmein +OK list +OK 1 2160 . retr 1 +OK X-From_: virusalert@freeserve.com Fri May 05 17:50:50 2000 Envelope-to: user@freeserve.co.uk Delivery-date: Fri, 05 May 2000 17:50:50 +0100 Received: from [194.152.76.137] (helo=gate-isdn.freeserve.theplanet.co.uk) by mail.freeserve.net with smtp (Exim 3.13 #0) id 12nlJS-0001cC-99 for user@freeserve.co.uk; Fri, 05 May 2000 17:50:50 +0100 Received: from virusalert by gate-isdn.freeserve.theplanet.co.uk with local (Exim 1.62 #1) id 12nlJN-0007ak-99; Fri, 5 May 2000 17:50:45 +0100 To: user@freeserve.co.uk Message-Id: From: Virus Alert Subject: Virus Warning Date: Fri, 5 May 2000 17:50:45 +0100 Dear Freeserve member, As you may already be aware, following reports on the news and in the press, there is a new email virus that began being transmitted yesterday, it can be identified by the subject line "ILOVEYOU" Immediately the virus was identified Freeserve took steps to prevent it spreading to our users and also prevent any Freeserve user passing on the virus to other parties. There is, however, the possibility that you may have received an infected email before our security measures were put in place. If you have an email in your inbox with the subject "ILOVEYOU" and have not yet opened it then simply deleting it will ensure that your PC is not affected, it would also be worth deleting the mail from the deleted folder as an extra precaution. In the unfortunate event that you have opened the mail and the attachment you will need to clean your PC using antivirus software that has the latest virus update installed. Alternatively you can visit the following website and use their online virus scanning tool, http://housecall.antivirus.com/housecall/start_corp.asp For future reference it is worth remembering that any email with attachments where you are not absolutely certain of the origin should be treated with suspicion. I hope that this clarifies the current situation and reassures you that Freeserve takes your security very seriously indeed. Regards Chris Fletcher, Customer Service Manager, Freeserve . list +OK 1 2160 . dele 1 +OK list +OK . quit +OK Connection closed. root@kevin(/etc)>