Many IT security organizations realize that they must work with e-mail support groups to address the growing problem of spam. Spam is more than a nuisance and has become a security problem on a number of levels. Common spam techniques, such as the "spoofing" of sender addresses, compromise the integrity of corporate e-mail systems. The sheer volume of spam in some environments can be characterized as "denial of service." Perhaps most troubling is the emergence of worms that use spammer techniques for propagation, as well as spammers' use of worm variants to get their messages through (see "Sobig Lesson: Pay Attention to the E-Mail Gateway").

Many IT security vendors have expanded their product and technology portfolios to include anti-spam capabilities. Although aggressive discovery and blocking will help reduce the volume of spam in the short term, more-effective solutions will need to incorporate more-basic security approaches, such as strong authentication.

Features

"How to Select Spam-Filtering Products and Services" — Choose the spam-filtering technology best suited to your requirements by evaluating anti-spam providers management, service and research capabilities. By Arabella Hallawell and Maurene Grey

"Spam Filtering Works Better With a Management Policy" — Consider business issues, such as industry-specific requirements and privacy concerns, when deploying spam-filtering technology. By Maurene Grey and Arabella Hallawell

"Outsourcing Spam Filtering and E-Mail Boundary Services" — Outsource e-mail boundary services to help mitigate e-mail and spam security risks. By Maurene Grey

"Regulators Combat E-Mail Spam" — Help shape proposed U.S. federal legislation regarding the catching and prosecuting of spammers, although regulations alone won't solve the problem. By Lydia Leong and Ron Cowles

"Pending U.S. Anti-spam Legislation: A Marketer's Guide" Understand how potential U.S. federal anti-spam legislation may adversely affect your marketing efforts if you're involved in legitimate, outbound e-mail marketing activities. — By Walter Janowski

"Seven Steps to Take to Fight Aggressive Internet Ads" — Take these seven steps to prevent security risks caused by distracting and invasive Internet ads. By John Girard and Lydia Leong

"Marketers Can Differentiate E-Mail Marketing From Spam" — Target your customer base and craft useful marketing material that won't be dismissed or deleted as spam. By Adam Sarner

Mark Nicolett

Editor in Chief

Security & Privacy

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Ray Wagner

Contributing Editor

Security & Privacy

spotlight.feedback@gartner.com