Although I am glad to see your article on SecurityFocus site, as an indication of just how severe the problem of spam email has become, I am unhappy, in fact downright disappointed, that you focus on filtering, especially keyword filtering against probably body as well as subject, to the exclusion of reference to the emerging significance of DNSBLs.

As much fun as it might be to write such filters, why waste your cycles and resources on filtering?

Why not block the bejeezus out of offending ISPs that allow the abuse to continue, until they find themselves unable to communicate with a majority of the rest of the Internet, and we actually suppress the problem itself to a manageable level again?

I find that much more in keeping with the concept of cooperative interconnectivity based on standards, among which is the original golden rule of the Internet, don't abuse your neighbor, but follow standards that let all our little packets happily get from one to the other of us.

Thanks for considering this side of the issue.


[ reply ]

Link to this comment: http://www.securityfocus.com/comments/columns/146/18675#18675