Difference between revisions of "Spam"

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'''What is spam?'''
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==What is Spam?==
  
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Spam is the electronic version of "junk mail," unsolicited e-mail that advertises a service or product.
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Spam is the electronic version of "junk mail", unsolicited e-mail that advertises a service or product.[http://www.mywot.com/en/online-threats/spam]
  
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Go to http://www.mywot.com/wiki/Cost_of_spam for an estimate of the true cost of [[Spam]].<br><br>
  
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'''Where does spam come from?'''
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==Can any form of Spam be distributed from my computer without my consent?==
  
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Most spammers use spam to advertise, some use it to distribute viruses, trojans and worms while others simply use it to annoy. Email accounts are traditionally targeted most but recently spammers have become more innovative. Spam can now be found on blogs; instant messaging; social networking sites, such as MySpace and FaceBook; and even mobile phones.
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Yes, [[Botnets]] are a type of potentially unwanted programs (sometimes classified as [[Malware]]) that may be installed without your knowledge and may use your computer as a ''zombie computer'' to distribute [[Spam]]. The originator of the [[Botnets|Botnet]] software can control and use them for other purposes. [[Botnets]] can be removed by running the latest anti-virus or anti-spyware software or blocked by using a firewall software.
  
  
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'''How does spam affect my computer?'''
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===How do Botnets enter my computer without my consent?===
  
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While spam may not necessarily contain viruses or malware, it is a nuisance and results in loss of productivity when you are forced to sift through unwanted messages every day. For large organizations it can mean loaded email servers that threaten the health and operation of their IT systems. In extreme cases, spammers have secretly commandeered computers with malware to act as an email server, which is then used to forward spam messages to other email recipients.
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[[Botnets]] can be installed by [[Backdoor]]s, drive-by-downloads, [[Browser Exploit | web exploits]], [[Computer Worm | Worms]], [[Computer Virus|Computer Viruses]] and [[Trojan Horse | Trojan Horses]].<br><br>
  
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==Reporting Spam==
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===How to Report Spam===
  
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'''How do I protect myself from spam?'''
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[http://www.spamcop.net/ Spamcop] maintains a [http://spamcop.net/fom-serve/cache/19.html guide to finding the full headers of an email address], for users of the most popular email programs. You'll need the information contained in the full email headers in order to make an accurate spam report.
  
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Spam is a common, and frustrating, side effect to having an email account. Although you will probably not be able to eliminate it, there are ways to reduce it. One way is through filtering spam using approved sender lists. For example, you can set Hotmail to deliver only messages from your contacts while the rest is sent to the junk folder. Other e-mail programs let you do the same thing through a filter rule. Remember to scan your junk folder occasionally.
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Viewing the email headers, if the spam message originated from:
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* Hotmail <br />[http://hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/dasp/ua_info.asp Contacting Hotmail] <br />email: ''abuse@hotmail.com''
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** [http://windowslivehelp.com/solutions/safety/archive/2009/03/23/how-to-report-abuse-or-spam-in-windows-live-hotmail.aspx Windows Live Hotmail] <br />email: ''report_spam@hotmail.com'', ''report_spam@msn.com'' or ''report_spam@live.com''
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* Gmail <br />[http://mail.google.com/support/bin/request.py?contact_type=abuse_phishing Google's Incident Report form]
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* Yahoo Mail <br />[http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/abuse/report/ Mail Abuse Feedback Form]
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* [http://www.joewein.de/sw/419-freemail-abuse.htm Where to complain about spam] that uses free email accounts that are not listed above<br><br>
  
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===Where to report Spam===
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<br>
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'''USA'''
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<br>
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* US Federal Trade Commission<br />[http://www.ftc.gov/spam/ FTC Spam site]<br />Alternatively, forward the email with full headers to: ''spam@uce.gov''
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* US Department of Justice - mainly PHISH schemes <br />[http://www.justice.gov/spam.htm Report Unsolicited Commercial E-Mail]<br><br>
  
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Help reduce irritating spam:
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'''Europe'''
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<br>
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* Denmark <br />Forbrugerombudsmanden <br />email: dansk@spamklage.dk (or int@spamklage.dk if sender is not from Denmark.)
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* France <br />[http://www.cnil.fr/ Commission Nationale de l'Informatique et des libertés] <br />email: N/A
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* Italy <br />[http://www.romanelmondo.it/sugg/spam.htm Italian Naming Authority] <br />email: ''abuse@na.nic.it'' and CC ''info@nic.it''
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* Netherlands  <br />[https://www.spamklacht.nl/ Onafhankelijke Post en Telecommunicatie Autoriteit (OPTA)] <br />email: N/A (You may use the form on OPTA's website to report spam)
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* Portugal <br />[http://www.cnpd.pt/ Commissao Nacional de Proteccao de Dados Pessoais Informatizados] <br />email: ''cnpdpi@mail.telepac.pt''
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* Spain <br />[https://www.agpd.es/ Spanish Agency for Data Protection] <br />email: ''spacontact@agpd.es''<br><br>
  
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    * Look for a company's privacy policy before submitting an email address. Every reputable company will have a link to their privacy policy explaining what they intend to do with your information.
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'''Australia'''
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    * When you sign up for online accounts or services, make sure you deselect optional choices selected by default.
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<br>
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    * If you follow links or reply to spam messages, you are confirming that your email address is valid and will get even more junk mail, so avoid the temptation to  click.
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* Australia <br />[http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD..PC/pc=PC_310301 Australian Communications and Media Authority] <br />email: N/A<br><br>
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    * Sign up for a challenge/response spam service.
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    * Open a second email address specifically for online shopping, chat rooms, signing up for services, etc. to protect your primary address from accumulating spam.
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'''Asia'''
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    * Look at the WOT scorecard before clicking to an unknown site. The ratings and user comments can help protect you from a bad experience.
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<br>
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* Japan <br />[http://www.dekyo.or.jp/ Nippon Information Communication Association] <br />email: ''meiwaku@dekyo.or.jp''<br><br>
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'''Other'''
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If the owner of the domain name that the spam message originated from is protected by the WhoisGuard privacy service, you can [http://www.whoisguard.com/report-spam.asp report the spam directly to WhoisGuard].

Latest revision as of 00:26, 24 May 2010

What is Spam?

Spam is the electronic version of "junk mail", unsolicited e-mail that advertises a service or product.[1]

Go to http://www.mywot.com/wiki/Cost_of_spam for an estimate of the true cost of Spam.

Can any form of Spam be distributed from my computer without my consent?

Yes, Botnets are a type of potentially unwanted programs (sometimes classified as Malware) that may be installed without your knowledge and may use your computer as a zombie computer to distribute Spam. The originator of the Botnet software can control and use them for other purposes. Botnets can be removed by running the latest anti-virus or anti-spyware software or blocked by using a firewall software.


How do Botnets enter my computer without my consent?

Botnets can be installed by Backdoors, drive-by-downloads, web exploits, Worms, Computer Viruses and Trojan Horses.

Reporting Spam

How to Report Spam

Spamcop maintains a guide to finding the full headers of an email address, for users of the most popular email programs. You'll need the information contained in the full email headers in order to make an accurate spam report.

Viewing the email headers, if the spam message originated from:

Where to report Spam


USA

Europe

Australia

Asia

Other

If the owner of the domain name that the spam message originated from is protected by the WhoisGuard privacy service, you can report the spam directly to WhoisGuard.

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