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[E8]E Mail Spam Filters

by Andrew Symonds, And

Though previously not acknowledged as a serious threat, spamming has now reached about 60% to 70% of all e-mail traffic all over the world. Different institutions and organizations, including government agencies, recognize the threat spam brings with it. Thus anti-spamming efforts have been on the rise in the past years.

Spam software is one of the most commonly employed tools against spam. There are many available spam software in the market today. They make use of a variety of methods and techniques. In choosing the right spam software for your company, you should at least know the concept behind them. This will help you choose the most suitable spam software to meet your needs.

Spam software usually makes use of spam filters. A spam filter basically identifies specific items – keywords or IP addresses for example – that are either allowed to go through or are blocked. One technique that some spam software make use of is the RBL or Real Time Black Hole List. In this method, the spam filter takes note of IP addresses, which are known to send spam. All communication from these IP addresses is then blocked.

Another technique used by spam software is keyword based filtering. In this method, the spam software is configured by the user by inputting specific keywords and key phrases, which are to be banned. All communication with these keywords and phrases are then blocked by the spam filter.

Other spam software makes use of permission-based filtering. E-mail addresses are supposed to be authorized, otherwise they are blocked. Spam filters, which are permission-based, also make use of tags embedded in the e-mails to determine whether to give authorization or not. The absence of these tags would then prompt the spam filter to block the e-mail.

Another technique used by spam software is concept-based filtering. This method scans the text and detects its concept. If the concept does not meet the requirements of the spam filter, the e-mail is then blocked.

These are some of the most commonly used techniques in combating spam through spam software. Determine which method would suit your needs best. Then you can look into different spam software that you can use.

Outlook express is an email client that is used by more than 50% of the world and more than 60% of the private business networks all around the world. It is a great piece of software, easy to use and comes in a suit of Microsoft Office applications that are integral to any business and their independent needs. Outlook express also has a built in spam filter, which reroutes junk email away from your inbox and into a specific folder which you can review later, this means that your time is not wasted and you can concentrate on doing your work. This is excellent, a good solution to a problem that is unavoidable in the arena of email messaging. But does this mean that outlook express is the be all and end all of spam filters? Is it the final solution that you need to ensure that your time and valuable money is not wasted going through junk emails all the time?

I would say no for just one reason. While Microsoft is a great centre of technological greatness, and while Bill Gates has built the biggest computing empire there is, no one would come out and say that the business plan of the founders of this giant was to end the problem of email spamming. It wasn't their core competency when they first started and it sure is not right now. What you get is a diluted effort, not a bad one, but not as focused as I would like it to be. You cannot depend on a piece of software that is part of a coalition of softwares (numbering in the hundreds) to be the final solution to a very real, and very specific problem. I am not taking anything away from Outlook Express, and while many say that there are better software out there,

I actually admire it for its quick interface and easy to use layout. It is a general piece of engineering that is applicable to all and can be used anywhere. But for email spam and filters, you have to look elsewhere to augment the capabilities of outlook express. Every day, the methods that hackers and marketers from legal free zone countries are using to distribute the UBE's or UCE's (bulk and commercial emails) are getting more and more advanced, coming to the point where the emails are designed to work around some of the filter code and defences that normal people are using. So what does this mean for you? This means that you can either be left breathless or be left with a good solution to the problem at hand.

You have to get a focused piece of software that is engineered to fight these spam emails. They are called spam blockers and dedicated spam filters, which are independent softwares that augments the capabilities of your email clients. They are the solution to the junk email problem plaguing the digital world today . Outlook express spam filters are frankly not enough – you need to fight fire with fire.

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Both Andrew Symonds & Yuto Wong are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Andrew Symonds has sinced written about articles on various topics from The Internet, Online Security and SPAM. Find most recent articles at . Andrew Symonds's top article generates over 14800 views. to your Favourites.

Yuto Wong has sinced written about articles on various topics from Computers and The Internet, Online Security and Computers and The Internet. Don't let spam control your life. Eliminate time wastage with this award winning System.. Yuto Wong's top article generates over 4400 views. to your Favourites.