Drop address definition
A drop address is a location where someone receives goods or packages anonymously, without being linked to the person who dropped them off. While you can use a drop address for legitimate purposes, criminals often use them for illegal activities, such as receiving stolen goods or counterfeit items.
See also: honeypot, physical address
Types of drop addresses
Drop addresses can be either physical or digital.
- Physical drop addresses. People choose physical drop addresses to protect their identity. Physical drop addresses can include P.O. boxes rented under false names, abandoned buildings, temporary mail forwarding services, or even a friend’s address used without their consent.
- Digital drop addresses. Digital drop addresses are temporary and built to ensure anonymity. Examples include disposable email accounts, one-time-use cryptocurrency wallets, or compromised cloud storage accounts used for short-term purposes. Security researchers often create drop email addresses to attract phishing emails as part of investigations. By analyzing the content received at these addresses, they gain valuable insights into new phishing tactics, malware, and potential threats.
Where can a drop address be used?
- 1.Phishing campaign investigations. Security researchers set up drop email addresses to intentionally attract phishing emails. By examining the content received at these addresses, they can gain insights into new phishing tactics, malware, and potential threats.
- 2.Digital forensics. During cyber investigations, drop addresses might be monitored to track down cybercriminals or to understand their communication methods.
- 3.Separation of sensitive tasks. Just as someone might use a separate email for junk mail or sign-ups, organizations might use drop addresses to separate potential risks from main communication channels.
