BEST PRACTICES.....For Dealing with SPAM Electronic Mail
- Say "no" to spam by using the Anti-Spam Tool also available on the Webmail and OWA login screens.
- Students - limit mail from UI organizations by logging into ISIS and going to My UIowa > My Email > Email Account Filter.
- Set filters or rules in your e-mail client to eliminate the amount of spam.
Anti-Spam & Attachment Blocking FAQs
Filtering Spam Flagged by PureMessage
Electronic mail "spamming" refers to the practice of flooding the Internet with an unsolicited electronic mail note addressed to hundreds or thousands of recipients, in an attempt to force the message on people who would not otherwise choose to receive it. It has also been called "junk e-mail". Some definitions of spam indicate that the messages are for the purpose of commercial advertising, which is for the most part true, but not always.
The term "spam" actually came from the Hormel canned ham, according to J.D. Falk's Net Abuse FAQ. He states that the term was derived from the old jokes about Spam having "no nutritive or aesthetic value", and was adopted as a handle for duplicate or nearly duplicate Usenet postings, which is something with no value to the readers. The term was first associated with Usenet, and was later adopted as a term for floods of duplicate e-mail messages.
How do spammers get my address?
E-mail spam lists are often created by scanning Usenet postings, stealing Internet mailing lists, or by searching the Web for addresses. Directories are another source of e-mail addresses. The more Internet activity you participate in, the more likely you'll end up in a spam list.
What should I do if I receive "spam"?
- Delete the message. Think of it in the same context as throwing away the junk mail you receive at home.
- DO NOT REPLY to the spam message. This can inadvertently cause all original addressees to receive the reply, causing another flood. Mailing lists can explode into thousands of recipients. NEVER retaliate with more spam; you're just exacerbating the problem.
- DO NOT respond to "instructions to remove me from the mailing list". Most often, this will result in a bounced (rejected) mail message to you. It may also result in hardening your address onto spam lists, as it serves as a confirmation that your account is active and the mail is being read. For advertising purposes, this makes your address more valuable.
- Set up mail filtering rules to automatically delete the mail, or move it to a separate mail folder. Filtering the mail is particularly helpful if you are unlucky enough to receive offensive spam. In most instances, if you do not respond to the mail, it will stop in days, weeks, or up to a few months. Be patient, and it will eventually stop.
- Optionally, you can report the spam to central IT Security. If you choose to report the spam, you should expand the headers (routing information) in the note and then forward it to it-security@uiowa.edu. We will examine the message headers, and take action if we can determine the source or relay site for the message. We are most interested in reports of e-mail spam that originate from within the University, or that are offensive to you.
For additional information, see the "Why Am I Getting All This Spam?" Research Report".
Make it stop!!!!
Electronic mail spam is one of the unavoidable pitfalls of being on the Internet. It is almost impossible to prevent, because any user with an e-mail address can "spam" any other valid e-mail address or public electronic forum. The only foolproof prevention is to disconnect from the Internet.
Limit your personal/recreational use of the Internet from your University account. Many web sites capture information about visitors without their knowledge, and then use it later for unsolicited advertising. Newsgroups will always have a record of users who post to them, which are relatively easy to obtain. See "You’ve Got Spam: How to "Can" Unwanted Email" for additional information.
Set up a filter in your mail client to trash mail coming from outside of the University network (e.g., mail that is not from a "uiowa.edu" address). If you need to receive mail from off-campus, you may wish to set up more elaborate filtering rules. Assistance is available from the ITS Help Desk at 384-HELP.
In all cases, if you are feeling threatened, report the activity to the Department of Public Safety at 335-5022. For more information regarding security issues, see IT Security.
