Alex realized that "valid" didn't just mean the email worked; it meant the security risk was still real

The lifestyle and entertainment sector is unique. Unlike B2B (Business to Business), where emails are checked daily, lifestyle readers use throwaway emails, change addresses frequently, or rely on spam filters that are notoriously aggressive.

is used to simulate sending a message; if the Hotmail server responds "OK" without actually sending an email, the address is marked valid. Usage and Risks