Mailing List Archive: US Government announces new initiative to fight spam...

US Government announces new initiative to fight spam...

Feb 4, 2004, 7:22 AM

Post #1 of 6 (2333 views)

Of all the... I read this this morning on The Register
(http://www.theregister.co.uk):

US aims to plug global spam holes
By electricnews.net
Posted: 03/02/2004 at 11:13 GMT
Stay up to date wherever you are, with The Register Mobile

The US Federal Trade Commission has announced an international initiative to
fight spam, which will focus on closing off the unsecured servers used by
spammers.

The FTC is to work with 36 different agencies in 26 countries on its new
programme, entitled Operation Secure Your Server. The initiative is designed
to coordinate an international effort to reduce the flow of unsolicited
commercial email by urging organisations to close open relays and open
proxies, which are often used by spammers to send unsolicited email.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/55/35297.html

The FTC site is here:

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/spam/secureyourserver/index.htm

What do others think about this?

-Joe K.

Re: US Government announces new initiative to fight spam... [ In reply to ]

satalk at nacnud

Feb 4, 2004, 7:51 AM

Post #2 of 6 (2279 views)

Permalink

On Wednesday 04 February 2004 14:22, Kang , Joseph S. wrote:
> Of all the... I read this this morning on The Register
> (http://www.theregister.co.uk):
>
> US aims to plug global spam holes
> By electricnews.net
> Posted: 03/02/2004 at 11:13 GMT
> Stay up to date wherever you are, with The Register Mobile
>
> The US Federal Trade Commission has announced an international initiative
> to fight spam, which will focus on closing off the unsecured servers used
> by spammers.
>
> The FTC is to work with 36 different agencies in 26 countries on its new
> programme, entitled Operation Secure Your Server. The initiative is
> designed to coordinate an international effort to reduce the flow of

I almost never see a hit in ordb these days - all my spam seems to originate
from dedicated servers or zombies. Now, if this means they can get ISPs to
shut off home users who get zombied until the user cleans it up, yay!

RE: US Government announces new initiative to fight spam... [ In reply to ]

csanterre at MerchantsOverseas

Feb 4, 2004, 8:08 AM

Post #3 of 6 (2293 views)

Permalink

*snip*

> The FTC is to work with 36 different agencies in 26 countries
> on its new
> programme, entitled Operation Secure Your Server. The

*snip*

Yeah this was discussed on the SPAM-L list. It is a start and an attempt.
It's no more then that. I'd rather have them doing this then some draconian
law.

All this does is ask you 5 questions to ask yourself about your server.
Chances are people already know they run an open proxy and don't care. Or
they don't understand, and hence, won't understand the 5 questions.

But heck, if it closes a few, it was worth it ;)

--Chris

Re: US Government announces new initiative to fight spam... [ In reply to ]

kdeugau at webhart

Feb 4, 2004, 8:58 AM

Post #4 of 6 (2279 views)

Permalink

"Kang , Joseph S." wrote:
> The FTC is to work with 36 different agencies in 26 countries on its
> new programme, entitled Operation Secure Your Server. The initiative
> is designed to coordinate an international effort to reduce the flow
> of unsolicited commercial email by urging organisations to close open
> relays and open proxies, which are often used by spammers to send
> unsolicited email.

As good as this sounds, it's likely not going to have a significant
effect. Many open relays or proxy systems are now trojans running on
home-user systems on broadband without the knowledge or consent of said
home users. :(

-kgd
--
"Sendmail administration is not black magic. There are legitimate
technical reasons why it requires the sacrificing of a live chicken."
- Unknown

Re: US Government announces new initiative to fight spam... [ In reply to ]

bgodette at idcomm

Feb 4, 2004, 10:52 AM

Post #5 of 6 (2283 views)

Permalink

Had one of these come in last Saturday (Jan 31st). It was overly wordy and
didn't get to the point of which IP address had the problem (long since taken
care of, was a spam relay dropped by SoBig.f), after which it went on for
another 4 paragraphs basically saying open relays are "bad mmmmkay and we've
got more info on our shiny new web site". And after all that it list every
participating orginazation in every country.

Basically what they're doing is emailing, some would say spamming, all the
abuse/admin addresses they can find for any IP address that pops up in any
RBL that's out there.

On Wednesday 04 February 2004 07:22 am, Kang , Joseph S. wrote:
> Of all the... I read this this morning on The Register
> (http://www.theregister.co.uk):
>
> US aims to plug global spam holes
> By electricnews.net
> Posted: 03/02/2004 at 11:13 GMT
> Stay up to date wherever you are, with The Register Mobile
>
> The US Federal Trade Commission has announced an international initiative
> to fight spam, which will focus on closing off the unsecured servers used
> by spammers.
>
> The FTC is to work with 36 different agencies in 26 countries on its new
> programme, entitled Operation Secure Your Server. The initiative is
> designed to coordinate an international effort to reduce the flow of
> unsolicited commercial email by urging organisations to close open relays
> and open proxies, which are often used by spammers to send unsolicited
> email.
>
> http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/55/35297.html
>
> The FTC site is here:
>
> http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/spam/secureyourserver/index.htm
>
> What do others think about this?
>
> -Joe K.

Re: US Government announces new initiative to fight spam... [ In reply to ]

mm at surf

Feb 4, 2004, 11:56 AM

Post #6 of 6 (2282 views)

Permalink

On Wed, 4 Feb 2004 08:22:45 -0600
"Kang , Joseph S." <joe.kang@netex.com> wrote:

(...)
> The US Federal Trade Commission has announced an international
> initiative to fight spam, which will focus on closing off the
> unsecured servers used by spammers.
(...)
> What do others think about this?

To close off the unsecure servers used by spammers... they'll have _a
lot_ of work.

The main point nowadays is that something is happening, efficient or
not, something is happening. People are becoming sensible to the
problem. But looks like it is way too far from a solution yet.

--
--
Marcio Merlone

mm@surf.com.br khan@inferno.com.br marcio@mersant.com.br
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