Search

This article examines the general nature, history, and language features of one type of fraudulent e-mail spam, the ubiquitous Nigerian fraud (4-1-9) letter. Patterns in content include similar narratives involving [...]

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.comnet.2008.11.012 Byline: Muhammad N. Marsono (a), M. Watheq El-Kharashi (b), Fayez Gebali (c) Keywords: E-mail content classification; Middlebox implementation; Naive Bayes classification; Packet pre-classification; Packet processing; Spam detection Abstract: This paper proposes a spam detection technique, at the packet level (layer 3), based on classification of e-mail contents. Our proposal targets spam control implementations on middleboxes. E-mails are first pre-classified (pre-detected) for spam on a per-packet basis, without the need for reassembly. This, in turn, allows fast e-mail class estimation (spam detection) at receiving e-mail servers to support more effective spam handling on both inbound and outbound (relayed) e-mails. In this paper, the naive Bayes classification technique is adapted to support both pre-classification and fast e-mail class estimation, on a per-packet basis. We focus on evaluating the accuracy of spam detection at layer 3, considering the constraints on processing byte-streams over the network, including packet re-ordering, fragmentation, overlapped bytes, and different packet sizes. Results show that the proposed layer-3 classification technique gives less than 0.5% false positive, which approximately equals the performance attained at layer 7. This shows that classifying e-mails at the packet level could differentiate non-spam from spam with high confidence for a viable spam control implementation on middleboxes. Author Affiliation: (a) Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Johor Bahru, Malaysia (b) Department of Computer and Systems Engineering, Ain Shams University, Cairo 11517, Egypt (c) Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada V8W 3P6

Spam is a growing problem; it interferes with valid email and burdens both email users and service providers. In this work, we propose a reactive spam-filtering system based on reporter reputation for use in conjunction with existing spam-filtering techniques. The system has a trust-maintenance component for users, based on their spam-reporting behavior. The challenge that we consider is that of maintaining a reliable system, not vulnerable to malicious users, that will provide early spam-campaign detection to reduce the costs incurred by users and systems. We report on the utility of a reputation system for spam filtering that makes use of the feedback of trustworthy users. We evaluate our proposed framework, using actual complaint feedback from a large population of users, and validate its spam-filtering performance on a collection of real email traffic over several weeks. To test the broader implication of the system, we create a model of the behavior of malicious reporters, and we simulate the system under various assumptions using a synthetic dataset. Categories and Subject Descriptors: H.1 [Models and Principles] General Terms: Algorithms Additional Key Words and Phrases: Spare filtering, reputation systems, trust

Spam, the term used to describe unsolicited e-mail received from an unknown sender without expressed consent of the recipient [1], has become a major problem for communications through the Internet. [...]

Byline: Adnan Omar, M. Khurrum S. Bhutta, Gwenola Lepeu Unsolicited commercial e-mail, or spam, is an ever-growing problem in today's increasingly digital world. Spam comprises an amazing 40% of all internet e-mails with an annual cost in excess of $30 million. With little cost and effort, one can send several thousand unsolicited messages in less than an hour. The result is not only slower internet traffic but also an unjust, costly, counterproductive and time-consuming burden on the receiver. Several attempts have been made to limit spamming and its deleterious impacts. Such efforts vary in their effectiveness and include managing and regulating e-mail traffic, employing filters, avoiding 'junk' e-mail lists and becoming increasingly aware of the ploys senders use to obtain e-mail addresses. This paper will discuss the problem of unsolicited bulk messaging, its magnitude and consequences, as well as potential solutions.

Spam e-mail asking researchers to send abstracts of their unpublished works for publication by Elsevier are reported. These spammers are more interested in accessing the academics personal details along with their money and should therefore be deleted and one should refrain from visiting the websites mentioned in it.

Cal watched the conference room through the security feeds. Four camera angles showed Joe Kowalski walk in, nod to the people seated around the oblong table and stand there, shifting [...]