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E-mails containing these types of messages are typically met with a quick tap of a computer keyboard’s “delete” key. But with the help of Information Technology (IT) at the University of Houston, there may be fewer keyboard clicks in the near future as efforts to reduce unsolicited electronic messages – “spam” – in campus e-mail accounts are intensified.

Chuck Shomper, associate vice president for information technology and chief information officer, recently delivered a presentation to the Faculty Senate that included steps IT has taken to reduce spam messages by 80 percent.

“In June, we started blocking known spammers,” he said. “What we do is subscribe to a ‘block’ list, which contains addresses of spammers. If an e-mail is coming from an address on the ‘block’ list, it is rejected."

Shomper added that IT is currently using spam-filtering software with enhanced logic, which further scrutinizes incoming e-mail based on wording, content and other criteria that identify it as possible spam. Likewise, IT uses software that blocks dictionary attacks, which are systematic mass e-mails sent to a multitude of addresses – whether they’re active – within a domain such as the UH e-mail server.

“Spammers will do this by creating e-mail addresses in order to get a minuscule number of them correct,” Shomper said “This attack results in a high amount of e-mail traffic, which is mostly sent to invalid addresses, clogging our servers and slowing down mail processing.”

Last fall, IT implemented spam flagging to identify unsolicited messages. Using SpamAssassin, which is enterprise-level spam-flagging software, incoming e-mails are scanned and tested. If tests are positive, the message is flagged “*****SPAM*****.” Users can then decide whether to open or discard flagged messages, or manage them using e-mail filters.

In some instances, however, a non spam message might be inadvertently flagged as spam. If this occurs, Shomper said to alert the IT Help Desk at (713) 743-1411 or e-mail spam@uh.edu in order to request a legitimate e-mail address be allowed to pass without being flagged.

IT’s anti-spam efforts are based largely on recommendations by the Information Technology Computing Committee (ITCC) and an advisory group consisting of faculty, staff and students.

Despite this success rate, Shomper indicated that spam will continue to be an ongoing issue for IT and users of UH e-mail accounts. With that in mind, IT is keeping its guard up to prepare for current and future spammers.

When a computer is hacked or becomes infected by a virus, it can sometimes be used to send out spam e-mail without the user’s knowledge. Currently, IT is removing viruses in attachments within spam messages and is considering completely blocking any message containing a virus.

Shomper said IT also plans to implement a new, more potent spam-blocking software, Sophos PureMessage, in late 2004 or early 2005.

In combating spam, particularly on a university level, IT is also adhering to the adage “knowledge is power.” A comprehensive guide to spam is available on a special Reducing Spam section of the IT Web site. Additionally, IT offers free training courses in reducing junk e-mail. For more details on these and other courses, visit the IT Training site.

“Spam will continue to impact the university,” Shomper said. “IT, in collaboration with the colleges and divisions, will continue to review ways to reduce and prevent its entry into UH e-mail accounts and servers. The campus community can also help by becoming more informed about spam and how to prevent it from negatively affecting their e-mail accounts or their office computers.”

Mike Emery
memery@central.uh.edu