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Jack Zhong's column: Is junk e-mail driving you crazy?

2005/02/15

As more people use e-mail, marketers are increasingly using e-mail messages to extend the marketing of their products and services. Some consumers are frustrated by dealing with unsolicited commercial e-mail -- also known as "spam" - which is annoying and time consuming. The following are some basic tips I give to my customers to deal with unwanted junk mail.

Mail Filter

The main technology available in the battle against spam is a "mail filter," which includes an MTA (mail transport agent) filter, an MDA (mail delivery agent) filter and an MUA (mail user agent) filter.

When an e-mail is transmitted, an MTA filter will check the data during the session and deal with the spam automatically. There are two filter stages in the session: a filtration before a user gets the data and after the user gets the data sent in an e-mail.

When receiving an e-mail, an MDA filter checks for traits in the e-mail in a local database and at a remote database. Once located, spam can either be destroyed or handled in some other fashion.

These two filtering methods are active in a mail server, but the MUA is located in a "client" (your) PC and is a feature of Outlook, Outlook Express, Netscape Mail, Mozilla Thunderbird and in Norton anti-spam programmes.

Mail filtering is an effective way to avoid the spam, just like anti-virus software that is used to manage computer viruses. Of course, filtration methods used should be tailored to your actual situation.

The Characteristics of Spam

Sometimes some e-mails that are not spam are also blocked by a filter. Why? Usually, it is because of certain mail headers or key words used in an e-mail that is considered suspicious. So here are some characteristics of spam, which can help you create proper mail headings:

  • When you use Outlook to send the mail, the header contains values that mark (specifies) a client, as with the X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.2416(9.0.2910.0), but spam does not have a header or special header like X-Mailer: EhooSend.
  • Formulae: Some e-mail that contains "polite" phrases such as "Please delete it," "Excuse me," "Sorry to disturb you" and so on can activate anti-spam measures.
  • False Addresses: If, when sending an e-mail, the "mail from" address operating unseen in a mail programme is different than that visibly specified in an e-mail, anti-spam measures will activate.
  • Use of Non-standard MIME: Spammers sometimes use a non-standard MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) format to send spam. This will activate anti-spam measures.
  • Sending time is beyond the real time: In order to make spam appear at the top of your incoming mail list, the "send" time will be changed to a future time.
  • HTML Tags: Sometimes spammers use special HTML tags to activate "scripts" (malicious scripts such as worms, viruses, Trojans). Anti-spam programmes watch for these tags and dump these kinds of e-mails into a spam bin.
Advice for Avoiding Spam
  • Try not to display your most sensitive e-mail address in public. This includes using them in newsgroup postings, chat rooms, Web sites or in an online service's membership directory. Spammers often use these sources to harvest addresses.
  • Check the privacy policies when you submit your address to a Web site. See if it allows a company to sell your address. You may want to opt out of this provision, if possible, or not submit your address at all to Web sites that won't protect it.
  • Read and understand an entire form before transmitting personal information through a Web site. Some Web sites allow you to opt out of receiving e-mail from their "partners" - but you may have to uncheck a re-selected box if you want to do it.
  • Decide if you want to use two e-mail addresses, one for personal messages and one for newsgroups and chat rooms. You also might consider using a disposable e-mail address service that creates a separate e-mail address that forwards to your permanent account. If one of the disposable addresses begins to receive spam, you can close it without affecting your permanent address.
  • Use a unique e-mail address. Your choice of e-mail addresses may affect the amount of spam you receive. Spammers use "dictionary attacks" to sort through possible name combinations at large ISPs or e-mail services, hoping to find a valid address. Thus, a common name such as jdoe may get more spam than a more unique name like jd51x02oe. Of course, there is a downside; it's harder to remember an unusual e-mail address.
  • Use an e-mail filter. Check your e-mail application to see if it provides a tool to filter out potential spam. You might want to consider these options when you're choosing which Internet service provider (ISP) to use.

 

Jack Zhong is the principal of one of Beijing's fastest-growing ICT consultancies, SinoCMS.  His column will appear monthly in Business Beijing.  Any comments on this column can be sent to jack.zhong@btmbeijing.com

 



 
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