tldr
If you don't periodically log into an email address you only use for bitcointalk a hacker might use it to hack your account here.
To solve the problem change the email address in your profile to one that can't exist because it has an invalid domain name. I just changed mine to
does@not.exist. Bitcointalk accepted it as a valid email, but the domain
.exist is invalid, so a hacker can't use it.
Stake a bitcoin address you control
here before changing to an invalid email address.
Most email providers delete inactive accounts and allow their names to be recycled. Here's a list of some popular email providers and the time limits inactive accounts can expire after. If you haven't logged in within the time limits shown your account could get deleted.
- new yahoo accounts - any time limit yahoo wants
- old (pre June 2017) yahoo accounts - any time limit yahoo wants
- outlook.com email - a year
- protonmail - 3 months (although it's not currently enforced)
- zoho - 120 days
Here's the long bit showing the expiry times in their terms and conditions.
new yahoo accountshttps://policies.oath.com/us/en/oath/terms/otos/index.htmlUnless stated differently for your country in Section 14, we may temporarily or permanently suspend or terminate your account or impose limits on or restrict your access to parts or all of the Services at any time, without notice and for any reason, including, but not limited to, violation of these Terms, court order, or inactivity.
old (pre June 2017) yahoo accountshttps://policies.yahoo.com/us/en/yahoo/terms/utos/index.htmYou acknowledge that Yahoo reserves the right to log off accounts that are inactive for an extended period of time.
Outlook.com emailhttps://www.microsoft.com/en-us/servicesagreementYou must sign into your Outlook.com inbox and your OneDrive (separately) at least once in a one-year period, otherwise we will close your Outlook.com inbox and your OneDrive for you.
protonmailhttps://protonmail.com/terms-and-conditionsAlthough it is not the current practice, we reserve the right to suspend or delete accounts that are inactive for over three months. Paid accounts with active paid status are not subject to this measure.
zohohttps://www.zoho.com/terms.htmlWe reserve the right to terminate unpaid user accounts that are inactive for a continuous period of 120 days.
These security risks were discussed on Oct 6th, 2013 here.
https://www.onmsft.com/news/your-outlookcom-email-account-name-will-be-recycled-if-inactive-360-daysAccording to a new report by PCWorld, Microsoft is recycling Outlook.com email account names if they are left inactive after a certain period of time. Microsoft has made no mention that this recycling of account names would occur, but the company’s Services Agreement does state that you are required to log into your account “periodically.”
“The Microsoft branded services require that you sign in to your Microsoft account periodically, at a minimum of every 270 days" ... Microsoft’s Services Agreement states.
When an account becomes inactive, Microsoft will queue that account for deletion. Once that happens and after a total of 360 days, Microsoft will allow that email account name to be available to the public again.
Yahoo faced criticism over this unused email recycling issue in the past, which sparked an outrage over privacy and security concerns over identity theft
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