We are blocking more incoming mail to our mail servers than ever before. First we are blocking some entire countries from reaching us and then we are blocking service providers and unmanaged goofballs. After that we get to the nitty-griity of specific IP address of evil doers.
Anything that makes it past that we run Bayesian filters on. Each user on our system is invited and encouraged to “Learn Ham” and “Learn Spam” on their own mail to assist the filters but most users leave that to us. We have mail accounts they can send the headers of repeat offenses so we can specially analyze the problems. Many of the problems are actually “BCAK” - “Between The Chair and Keyboard” . It seems that training spam systems and Bayesian filters is MUCH easier than training users!
SOME THINGS I HAVE LEARNED
There are few mistakes that I see all the time:
- Online purchases – watch the check boxes and read the terms – most users AGREE to get future updates and email. When you get email from them IT IS NOT SPAM!
- Forwarding forwarded mail – (with tons of email addresses included) nothing like passing lists to spammers!
- Sending email with tons of email addresses in the TO: or CC: line (The spammers love you)
- Clicking “Unsubscribe” on emails you never requested in the first place validates that you are a receiving address. (Note: this is different from places your actually gave your address to)
- VACATION and “AWAY” messages… really do you need to do that? Every spam you get while you are gone automatically validates your address to the spammers.
Tags: Spam and DeSpam