Spam Filtering is Tough Task

I have done all sorts of filtering, and still VIAGRA and CILAIS still end up in my inbox. Seems like these spammers took the VIAGRA themselves. They are hyper -sending emails with relentless fury that even Bruce Leee can not much.

Our web host has free filtering tool in its panel and I feel this generic filter is not enough. For serious spam filtering action, separate application should be used. It does not help too if you have gazillion contacts in your address book.

This battle has been in a long stand off: Spammers versus Filter Developers. As applications gets smarter at detecting junk, spammers get smarter at fooling the filters.

Spammers have taken it to a new level, utilizing images to sneak in these unsolicited emails. Keyword are easier to block out and so these image spamming gaining ground.

Now how in the world will the spam filters know what's in the image? That's their job to do really. But image filter basically does some math, a formula is applied to the image and generates a unique signature that the software can use to flag down a junk image.

But we all know this is not bullet proof. A little change in color here, a slightly larger text there suddendly changes the signature and what you get is a full pitch ad about... Yes, Viagra.