British Telecommunications Introduces New Anti-Spam System

British Telecommunications has cracked down on spam on a war-footing basis. British Telecom broadband will contact its spam-affected customers to demonstrate how to clean up their PCs. The company has introduced a new 'spam buster' system that is fully automated and will track down spammers. It will also detect customers who are suffering 'botnet infections' on BT broadband network.

This initiative is especially due to rising number of blacklisted BT's servers aiding in distributing spam mails, which has led to large ISPs like Comcast, blocking e-mails from BT to reach Comcast customers.
Organized e-mail spamming groups use 'botnets', which are big networks of hacked PCs, to circulate spam in huge volumes. So, BT is in a difficult situation to sieve users who may be compromising their systems. Over 80% of all e-mail sent is estimated to be spam.

The 'spam buster' system put into force by 'StreamShield Networks', works to filter spam and other virus infected e-mails. The system catches spam the moment the messages pass through BT's mail servers. The BT then contacts the concerned customer when the spam mail reaches his inbox and helps him to rectify the problem. They system also enables BT to find the source of professional spammers interfering in its network so that it can shut them down or blacklist their rogue accounts.

After extensive experimentation, BT has picked up this anti-spam solution. Simon Gawne, CEO of StreamShield Networks, was excited about BT's selection of their company and said they would be happy to work with BT in the future.

Internet is facing the problem of spam mauls for more than a decade. The only disappointing thing is that BT was unconcerned about it until in 2006 when it made an effort to deal with the problem. On the whole, while it is good to have BT implement the new system, the fact that ISPs, such as BT, should be proactive in the first place, rather then reactive, to customer problems.

The new spam buster system brings lot of hope for BT customers securing them against botnet infections and resultant spamming.

Related article: British Banks Increasingly Targeted by Attacker

» SPAMfighter News - 10/19/2006