[pchelpers] News:Anti-spam tool ceases as spammers evolve

ANICK JESDANUN
Associated Press
NEW YORK - The Open Relay Database, a tool e-mail service providers used
for years to help curb the spread of spam, is ceasing operations, a
death partly attributable to its own success. It was 5.

For years, spammers exploited e-mail servers with open relays - those
that accept mail from anywhere for relaying to anywhere else - to pass
along their junk pitches.

Service providers responded by using lists like the ORDB to block all
mail - including legitimate messages - passing through open-relay
servers, in turn pressuring operators of such relays to accept outbound
mail only from their own customers.

Mail-server software also has been shipping with the relays closed by
default, such that open relays aren't as big of a threat today. These
days, spammers instead use zombie computers, generally home computers
taken over by viruses and other malicious software to relay spam such
that messages appear to come from legitimate customers.

"ORDB was a holdover from the past era when open relays were a major
vector for spam," said John Levine, co-author of "Fighting Spam for
Dummies." "Now the vast majority of spam is sent by virus-controlled
zombie computers. ... There's way more of them (than) there ever were
open relays."

Lists that target zombies as well, such as one from the Spamhaus
Project, have in recent times been more effective, Levine said.

The number of open relays listed at ORDB dropped in late 2004 and has
largely leveled off at about 225,000 servers since then.

More here:
http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/business/technology/16328498.htm
-- 
John Durham
Site http://modecideas.com
Good advice is like good paint. It only works when applied.



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