Re: Vendor Participation on List and Proper Identification

[Information Security <infosecurity () UTPA EDU>]

Parker, Ron wrote:

> Before we all bounce down this road about vendors on the list, remember
> that EDUCAUSE's policies do allow it. I think it can be valuable in many
> cases.

Seconded.  Let's save that argument until the day someone abuses the list.
Jamie Stapleton's posts are generally helpful and worth reading, and it's
clear from his email address he is a vendor.  Not a problem to me.  Let's
return to the discussion of spam appliances...  I'm surprised no-one has
mentioned Brightmail yet - that's usually the one I hear when a company
is programming-phobic and wants a managed solution.  As far as I
understand it, their approach is primarily spamtrap-based and they mark
only mails that they've seen elsewhere in spamtraps.  They have a good
reputation but I worry that betting the farm on one technique is a long-term
risk, as polymorphic and customised spams become more prevalent.

I've already started receiving spams where some of the 'whitening' text was
taken from my own web site, in order to get past my Bayesian filters.
That's
pretty sophisticated, and I have to wonder why the spammers bother, because
if someone goes to the effort of installing a spam filter you might imagine
that they'd never respond to spam even if it did slip through.

Graham