Basically what they did was do password reset processes at a bunch of different services like PayPal, LastPass, Ebay.. yeadda yadda. He found that they all display different portions of a phone number. PayPal being the worst shows someone starting the reset process 5 digits. Most showed 2 or 3 but different portions.
So what he then did was essentially merge/correlate that data along with the area code and "exchange" (the part of number after area code) from sources like https://www.nationalnanpa.com/
Then he has a python script the queries (not sure how I didn't read the code, I'm assuming NOT through an API but who knows) the aforementioned services and somehow determines the likelihood of a number out of several hundreds being registered to an email or not. I kind of dozed off at the end so I can't explain that part very well.
edit: Why am I getting downvoted? This is literally what the blog is. My other comment is at the top.. lol. What a waste of my time giving an explanation. Ya'll like that low detail TechBrunch ChatGPT explanation more? Wild.
So what he then did was essentially merge/correlate that data along with the area code and "exchange" (the part of number after area code) from sources like https://www.nationalnanpa.com/
Then he has a python script the queries (not sure how I didn't read the code, I'm assuming NOT through an API but who knows) the aforementioned services and somehow determines the likelihood of a number out of several hundreds being registered to an email or not. I kind of dozed off at the end so I can't explain that part very well.
edit: Why am I getting downvoted? This is literally what the blog is. My other comment is at the top.. lol. What a waste of my time giving an explanation. Ya'll like that low detail TechBrunch ChatGPT explanation more? Wild.