Spammers Evolve – and Succeed

Bill Gates is often needled for his infamous “640K ought to be enough for anybody” quote in the early 1980s (which, incidentally, he later denied saying). Another Gates prediction from three years ago – that the spam problem will be solved by 2006 – seems similarly short-sighted.

A couple stories this week illustrate that the spam problem is simply out of control. A New York Times piece notes that more than 90% of e-mail traffic is spam. The latest deluges (referred to as “Spam 2.0” in the story) use a variety of tactics:

• Image spam that fools the text-reading capabilities of detection software
• “Botnets” that capture the computers of unknowing users to send spam
• Software that alters the “fingerprint” of e-mails to make them appear unique and thwart spam filters
• Using senders from outside the U.S. to bypass the Can-Spam Act of 2003

Geek News Central offers a similar perspective on the problem with 10 common-sense tips for individuals. Even if you already follow the suggestions, they are useful reminders.