UITS debuts anti-spam software

Many students feel like they are engaged in an ongoing battle with their e-mail accounts. Fortunately, you are the best weapon you possess in the war against spam -- Internet slang for unsolicited commercial and bulk e-mail, which continues to infiltrate many student and faculty e-mail accounts, according to University Information Technology Services.\nIU Associate Vice President of Telecommunications Brian Voss likened the war on spam to an arms race. \n"Spammers are constantly developing new ways to deliver, disguise and get (spam) in," he said. "I want to emphasize the fact there is no cure for spam, just treatments." \nTreating 120,000 or so IU computer accounts is no small task for the UITS team.\nSpammers, ranging from legitimate businesses to disreputable companies to illegal scams, utilize numerous tactics to attack IU computer accounts. For instance, spammers often employ "bots," automatic programs that rummage through USENET newsgroups and the Web, to obtain student and faculty e-mail addresses. With this information spammers are able to transmit chain letters, pyramid schemes, foreign bank scams, advance fee fraud schemes and pornographic Web sites. \n"It's an ongoing battle," Voss said. "Spam can modify itself in a matter of hours and we have to react and respond." \nSenior Jason Starling understands the dilemma of electronic junk mail, having been victimized by spam himself.\n"It's all just useless information," Starling said. \nSpammers continue to operate one step ahead of anti-spam software development. Spam is often delivered with different subject lines and multiple addresses in order to escape detection. In response to a recent increase in spam deployment, this summer UITS implemented PureMessage software, the Cadillac of anti-spam technology, with the hope of effectively combat IU computer account epidemics. However, not all student and faculty accounts have subscribed to IU's free anti-spam software.\n"If anyone experiences spam, they should make use of the available tools," Voss said. "It doesn't cost anymore money if all 100,000 opt in as opposed to 10,000." UITS proposes several solutions for competing toe-to-toe with spammers. Students and faculty can protect their e-mail address from unwanted vendors by not replying to spam, by obtaining "throwaway" e-mail addresses and by reading Web site privacy policies. \nSophomore John Passafiume has learned how to cope with spam. \n"I opened a Hotmail account to redirect spam," he said.\nSenior Shawn Patrick deals with spam in a similar way. \n"I never use my IU e-mail address to sign up for anything," Patrick said. "I choose the option not to receive anything from them." UITS also cautions IU computer account users to contact local police immediately if any spam or junk mail makes you feel personally threatened. In fact, most spam is illegal under U.S. federal law, although prosecution and conviction is almost impossible on the Web.\nSince the best offense is often a good defense, Voss recommends all students and faculty opt in to PureMessage at http://kb.indiana.edu/data/alfb.html. In the meantime, at least one student has declared victory in the war on spam. \n"I don't even check my hotmail account," Passafiume said. "It's like a garbage can for spam."\n-- Contact staff writer David A. Nosko at dnosko@indiana.edu.