Email Spam

Overview

Email spam, also known as junk email or unsolicited bulk email (UBE), refers to the practice of sending unwanted email messages, frequently with commercial content, in large quantities to an indiscriminate set of recipients. Spam email is a form of commercial advertising which is economically viable because email is a very cost-effective medium for the sender.

History

The history of email spam is tied to the broader history of internet and email technologies. The first unsolicited email message was sent in 1978 by Gary Thuerk, a marketing manager at Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC). This event is often referred to as the "birth of spam".

Types of Email Spam

There are several types of email spam, each with its own characteristics and methods of operation. These include:

Commercial spam: This is the most common type of spam and includes unsolicited advertisements or solicitations.

Phishing spam: This type of spam attempts to trick recipients into revealing personal information, such as passwords or credit card numbers.

Malware spam: This type of spam contains or links to malicious software, often disguised as legitimate files or links.

Chain email spam: This type of spam encourages recipients to forward the message to multiple contacts, often with the promise of luck or money.

Spamming Techniques

Spammers use a variety of techniques to send out their messages. These include:

Email spoofing: This involves the creation of email messages with a forged sender address.

Botnets: These are networks of compromised computers, known as "zombies", that are used to send spam.

Harvesting: This involves the collection of email addresses from various sources, such as websites and customer lists.

Dictionary attacks: This involves sending emails to addresses made up of random letters and numbers in the hope of reaching valid ones.

Anti-Spam Techniques

There are several techniques that can be used to combat email spam. These include:

Spam filters: These are software programs that detect unsolicited and unwanted emails and prevent them from reaching a user's inbox.

Blacklists: These are lists of IP addresses from which spam has been received.

Authentication: This involves verifying the sender's identity to ensure that an email is not spam.

Education: This involves teaching users about the dangers of spam and how to avoid becoming a victim.

Legal Aspects

Many countries have enacted legislation to control spam. For example, the United States passed the CAN-SPAM Act in 2003, which sets national standards for the sending of commercial e-mail. Other countries, such as Canada, have similar laws.

Impact

The impact of email spam is significant, affecting individuals, businesses, and internet service providers. It can lead to a loss of productivity, financial loss, and a decrease in the overall quality of email communication.