Blocking spam by source
Tuesday, January 25th, 2005 Posted in Spam | No Comments »A brief history:
- Spammers send mail directly to victims.
- Server admins block by source, victims complain and try to get spammers kicked off their networks.
- Spammers relay through third-party servers to disguise their origin.
- Server admins shut close relays, and block mail from open relays.
- Spammers relay through trojaned zombies straight to victims.
- Network admins block outgoing mail traffic except through their servers.
- Spammers relay through zombies’ ISPs’ mail servers.
- ????
We’re in the early stages of step 6, with broadband ISPs starting to block outgoing direct-to-MX mail traffic. The obvious response by spammers is, of course, Read the rest of this entry »
Interesting use of technology
Wednesday, May 19th, 2004 Posted in Computers/Internet, Spam | 3 Comments »Yahoo has finally released its specification for its DomainKeys email authentication scheme. Included is the following patent license (emphasis added):
Yahoo! will grant a royalty-free, worldwide, non-exclusive license under any Yahoo! patent claims that are essential to implement or use any Implementations so that licensees can make, use, sell, offer for sale, import, or yodel Implementations; provided that the licensee agrees not to assert against Yahoo!, or any other Yahoo! licensees of Implementations, any patent claims of licensee that are essential to implement or use any Implementations.
Yodel?
