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| 04 | 2006 |
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| Spam: The War Rages On |
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Recent research shows that 80 percent or more of all e-mails sent are spam. But thanks to continuous advancements, most of it never reaches our email account. In fact, in December 2005, the FTC announced in a report to Congress that the anti-spam filtering technology and the two-year-old federal law have “leveled off” the total amount of spam showing up in Inboxes.
Educating email and instant messenger users on how to recognize spam and using filtering products are the first steps to preventing potentially dangerous messages from reaching your computers and networks. The benefits of employing a comprehensive spam-blocking solution far outweigh the costs. The Radicati Group, a market research firm specializing in emerging IT technologies, predicts that by 2007, 50 billion spam messages will be sent daily with a price tag of $200 billion dollars per year for companies.
Anti-Spam Filters & Firewalls
Using anti-spam filters and firewalls are your first line of defense against potentially harmful messages. You’ll find the market saturated with options – from hardware and software filters to varying algorithms used to recognize spam. The most sophisticated versions use the Bayesian method, a customizable solutions that allows you to “train” it to recognize spam. In this way, the Bayesian system uses previous real-world examples of spam and junk-email in order to classify future emails. In addition, Bayesian statistics calculate probabilities based on a wide-range of content. Most other spam filters only block messages containing a pre-established list of keywords or block emails coming from a “black list” of bad domains.
At The Brookfield Group we use a Barracuda Spam Firewall to protect our clients from spam, viruses, spoofing, phishing and spyware. Of all the spam-fighting products we’ve tested, Barracuda’s accuracy, ease-of-use and relatively low cost earn it a first place ranking on our list. Available as both a software and hardware solution, Barracuda has some of the most accurate anti-spam products on the market. Winner of both Network Computing’s “Editor’s Choice Award” and their “Best Spam Prevention Solution” award as well as the Network Magazine Innovation Award for “Security Product Breakthrough,” Barracuda’s successful use of Bayesian filtering and its many other built-in features make it an impressive spam fighter.
While filtering technology continues to advance and eliminate the majority of spam before it hits your Inbox, spammers are also continuously working to generate their own combative technology. Therefore, in addition to having an effective anti-spam filter, you can also reduce spam by minimizing the exposure of your email addresses. Following are our top 10 dos and don’ts you can use to reduce your susceptibility to spam.
Top 10 Spam Dos and Don’ts
1. Do not open email attachments from unknown sources – by opening it, you may be downloading a virus, spyware, or other malicious code.
2. Do not reply to spam or click on links within the message – Clicking on links within a spam message or responding to their “remove me from your mailing list” option only verifies to spammers that your email address is active.
3. Do not give personal information in an email – In a type of spam known as “phishing,” emails cleverly disguised as credit card companies, Paypal, banks and other financial institutions try to encourage you to enter your personal information. Legitimate companies will not ask for your personal information in an email. If you are unsure, call the company by using a phone number from a legitimate source (back of your credit card, off of a bill, phone book or other reliable source). Do not use a phone number from the email.
4. Use unusual email addresses – When you create your email address, use an unusual combination of letters and numbers to prevent spammers from “guessing” your address. Also, whenever possible, use an email address that is not from a free source.
5. Opt out of online offers – Many times online purchases and registrations contain a number of optional offers to receive samples and freebies, enter giveaways, win prizes and other promotions. Be especially aware of pre-checked boxes. By electing to receive offers, you are permitting the company to distribute your email address.
6. Use fake or dedicated email addresses – Whenever possible use fake email addresses in online forms unless you want to hear from the site (e.g. order confirmations, tech support, etc.). Or setup a separate email address dedicated only to online transactions.
7. Do not provide an email address on your company website – Spammers scan your site for potential email addresses – a technique known as “harvesting.” By using a contact form, your email address is hidden within a script and not publicly displayed within the code of your page.
8. Do not forward chain emails – By forwarding a chain email, you may also be forwarding a harmful virus. In addition, you are confirming to spammers that your email (and the emails you inadvertently forward it to) are valid and active addresses.
9. Do not make purchases or donate to charities via an unknown email – Many spammers, especially during times of crisis, disguise themselves as charitable organizations. By responding or donating, you’re not only confirming that your email address is active, you are putting yourself at risk for identity theft.
10. Report phishing and fraudulent spam – Be sure to report unauthorized and fraudulent emails to both your ISP and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Protecting your business from the damaging effects of spam is a vital step to maintaining your network security. You can learn more about anti-spam filters and which product is right for your business by contacting a Brookfield Group technician.
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About The Brookfield Group
The Brookfield Group has become a leader in IT, ISP, ASP and web solutions by providing next level technology solutions managed by experts who give you peace of mind without the tech-talk. The company's services are customized to fit any enterprise-size businesses and include: IT project management; hosting solutions and maintenance; systems security and patches; telecommunications services, server and desktop setup, repair and applications; network infrastructure design; audio visual products; surveillance and security solutions; as well as a variety of other software, hardware, services and accessories. Located in Carmel, Indiana, more information about The Brookfield Group products and services is available at www.thebrookfieldgroup.com or by calling 317.524.6000.
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