Home > Technobuddy > Archives > 2007 > May > 23 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USCan this new move actually slow down spam?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The more I’ve learned about spam over the years the more cynical I get about ever stopping it. Like income taxes, the poor and traffic jams it’ll always be with us.
But that doesn’t mean we should run up the white flag and surrender to the stuff.
There’s a new move that - if adopted, heck there are a lot of ifs in this one - may make a noticeable difference in the amount of spam you receive. So it’s worth reading about - and you can do that here.
I said there are a lot of ifs. Among them are the fact that, to work, this system would have to be almost universally adopted by Internet providers. Another problem is that it would do nothing to stop ‘legitimate’ spam … junk e-mail from real companies.
However, I still think it’s a move in the right direction. It would make a big dent in mail from outright crooks and would even allow Internet providers to identify folks who send out phiser e-mail (you know what that is by now … the scam that involves sending out what seems to be a note from a bank or other legitimate business … designed to steal your money or your identity).
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment | Categories: Viruses, spam, adware, etc.
Comments
By C. Henry Adams & BIE
May 23, 2007 11:32 AM | Link to this
Bill,
The fact that a “standard” is being created is good.
However, my concern is the statement made in the article you alluded to below (((Oh, by the way, some of my folks are confused a little about your blog- they don’t realize that the blue fonts or words and/or characters opposed to the black fonts or words and/or characters are actual links to another web page))):
STATEMENT FROM ARTICLE http://news.com.com/Promising+antispam+technique+gets+nod/2100-1029_3-6185904.html?tag=nefd.lede
“Signatures by authorized third parties are permitted as well, which is useful for outsourced e-mail.”
Reasons for concerns - security wise:
1) My definition of a third party is someone and/or anyone including spammers who pay good money to advertise and not checked by the company selling the product.
2) A Professional Cracker, Hacker and/or Script-Kiddie could figure out how to break the email letter down and identify what appears to be a “token” then maneuver around it or even manipulate it. Therefore, whatever this encrpyted device is…it needs to self-destruct when altered.
Example: Say you do the right thing, purchase the little sticker for your vehicle’s license plate and pay your taxes to the State.
Ok, even though the sticker has your vehicle tag number displayed on it…some Knucklehead (figure of speech) somewhere steals it off your automobile and place it on their SUV (metaphor) for a short period time or even six months before getting caught.
How could you prevent this from occurring?
Before we provide that answer, please note that the vehicle sticker was authenticated with your tag number on it.
Now, the answer is old fashion; once you place the vehicle sticker on your vehicle’s license plate, you simply take a knife or razor (This is not advice, all attempts are at your own risk of life) and cut diagonal lines across the sticker while its firmly placed on the license plate in its designated location.
So, if someone attempts to get a 100% percent discount by taking your vehicle sticker…they would only come-up with a piece of it (IFs).
OK, I said all of that to say that this email spamming standard could work if engineers find a simply technique to alter their work when someone tries to manipulate it, duplicate it or maneuver around it.
Just a thought.
C. Henry Adams & BIE http://www.networkingmenu.com
By C. Henry Adams & BIE
May 23, 2007 11:47 AM | Link to this
Bill & Bloggers,
Please excuse my grammar, fore, I’m always in a rush. Happy Memorial Day, please ‘Remember Our Troops Abroad”…on my way to Myrtle Beach, S.C.