Car maker puts brake on spam

DaimlerChrysler UK expects a new email security system to cut IT operating costs by a quarter over the next three years.
The car manufacturer installed the Sophos-based system as a result of user complaints about spam, and high maintenance requirements that arose from manually installing security patches.

There are some 460 UK outlets selling DaimlerChysler cars, including Mercedes-Benz, Jeep and Smart. Each has a localised web site containing contact information, making the firm an easy target for spammers.

'We have so many web sites out there and our email addresses are publicised, so in a way we are more prone to spam than some organisations, and spammers are becoming more sophisticated,' said DaimlerChysler messaging service team leader Robert Cox.

The email security appliance and anti-virus and spam software, which went live to 3,500 users in May, blocked 100,000 more malware attacks in three weeks than the previous system, with no false positives.

» vnunet.com - Lara Williams - 14-07-2006