Spam Kings (32 page)

A spammer who sends junk email on behalf of a sponsor, usually on a commission
basis.

A free computer program published by AOL that allows users to communicate instantly
through text messages to other AIM users.

Short for anti-spammer. A term used by spammers to refer to people who fight junk
email.

A collection of rules set by an Internet service provider that restrict how
customers may use the service. For example, many AUPs expressly prohibit users from
sending spam.

A list used to filter spam or cut off traffic to spam sites. Typically, such lists
contain a collection of Internet protocol (IP) addresses or domains used by
spammers.

See
Blackhole list
.

An online journal of short web postings, usually posted in reverse chronological
order (most recent item first).

In spamming, a computerized attempt to deliver an email ad that involves randomly
constructing possible valid addresses. For example, a brute-force attack might begin by
sending spam to
[email protected]
and then try
[email protected]
, etc.
(See also
Dictionary attack
.)

Used by spammers to refer to people who send spam.

A web server that stays accessible for long periods of time and is relatively immune
to complaints from anti-spammers.

A telephone feature that displays the name and/or number of the calling party when
an incoming call is received.

The first U.S. law governing junk email, which went into effect January 1,
2004.

A volunteer organization created in 1997 to advocate for a legislative solution to
the spam problem (
http://www.cauce.org/
).

A label given to small-time spammers. Anti-spammers stereotype chickenboners as
living in mobile homes with a personal computer on the kitchen table, surrounded by
empty beer cans and empty buckets of fried chicken.

Used by spammers to describe the act of a spam recipient responding positively to an
email ad. A "high-converting list" contains email addresses likely to generate
sales.

Used by spammers to refer to mailing lists that have had duplicate email addresses
removed.

Also known as a DOS attack. An incident in which a malicious Internet user attempts
to prevent other users from using online resources such as the Web or email. In a
distributed
denial-of-service (DDOS) attack, a group of Internet
users flood another computer on the network with so much data that it may crash or be
unable to handle real network traffic.

In spamming, a computerized attempt to deliver an email ad that involves
constructing possible valid addresses using common words or names. For example, a
dictionary attack might begin by sending spam to
[email protected]
and then
[email protected]
, etc. (See also
Brute-force
attack
.)

A system used to route Internet traffic by translating alphanumeric domain names
into numeric Internet protocol addresses. (See also
Domain
and
IP address
.)

A name, such as oreilly.com, that identifies one or more IP addresses. Domain names
are used to identify particular web pages as well as email servers.

A temporary email account, usually at a free, Web-based email provider such as
Hotmail, used by a spammer to receive mailing-list removal requests, orders, or other
communications. Drop boxes are used by spammers to protect their permanent email
accounts.

A very high-speed, dedicated phone connection used mainly by Internet service
providers to connect to the Internet backbone. DS3 lines are capable of sending data at
rates up to forty-three megabits per second. (Also known as a T3 line.)

A fast phone line used to connect a home or office to the telephone company's
central switching station. Most residential DSL lines send data at rates around 128
kilobits per second, with download speeds of around one and a half megabits per
second.

A spam-related program designed to locate and compile email addresses from web
pages, online discussion forums, and other Internet databases. (See also
Harvesting
.)

The United States law enforcement agency that is the principal investigative arm of
the U.S. Department of Justice (
http://www.fbi.gov/
).

The U.S. government agency established to regulate the release of new foods and
health-related products (
http://www.fda.gov/
).

An argument or fight that takes place in newsgroup articles or over email.

Used to describe a fraudulent email address or email headers.

Used to describe proxies or email addresses that have been recently
collected.

The U.S. government agency charged with enforcing antitrust laws and prohibitions
against false, deceptive, or unfair trade or advertising practices (
http://www.ftc.gov/
).

A system for transferring files over the Internet from one computer to
another.

A mailing list composed of email addresses from a wide variety of ISPs.

An award given to elite anti-spammers to recognize "outstanding lifetime achievement
in the spamfighting arts."

The act of compiling email addresses from web pages, online discussion forums, and
other Internet databases, usually with the use of a special computer program. (See also
Extractor
.)

The part of an email message that includes the path the message took en route to its
destination: a sort of electronic passport.

A web site. The term is also used to refer to the front page of a site.

An email server or proxy set up to attract spammers seeking open relays or proxies.
Anti-spammers create honey pots to track the activities of spammers.

A service that provides online systems for storing information, images, video, or
any content accessible via the Web. Web hosts are companies that provide space on a
server they own for use by their clients.

The computer language used to create documents on the World Wide Web.

One of the first online chess clubs, at chessclub.com.

A free instant-messaging program, such as AIM, that allows users to chat and
send/receive files with other ICQ users.

A chat system that enables people connected anywhere on the Internet to join in
live, group discussions.

A company that provides access to the Internet.

A unique number that is assigned to every computer connected to the Internet.

Spam designed to tarnish the reputation of an innocent third party. First used to
describe such an attack on Joe Doll, webmaster of joes.com.

An email notifying an ISP that one of its customers is spamming. Also referred to as
a mallet, since it is metaphorically used to clobber delinquent ISPs into action against
spammers.

Sales prospects generated by spam. Leads are often sold by spammers to mortgage
companies and other marketers.

Removing the addresses of complainers from spam mailing lists.

A U.S. business entity that is a hybrid of a partnership and a corporation. The
owners of an LLC are somewhat shielded from personal liability.

A fictitious group formed by anti-spammers in 1997 in response to assertions by some
bulk emailers that wood-products companies were funding anti-spammers in an effort to
preserve paper-based direct-mail promotions.

A synonym for the term spammer, preferred by people who send spam. Also used to
describe software designed to send junk email.

A denial-of-service attack using a large volume of email, designed to overwhelm the
victim's email program or server.

A mainstream, well-known company that resorts to spamming.

An anti-spam service founded in 1997. MAPS operates the Realtime Blackhole List
(RBL), one of the original spam blacklists (
http://www.mail-abuse.com/
).

An account established with a payment processor for the settlement of credit card
transactions. Any spammer who wants to take credit card orders must establish a merchant
account.

To modify a published email address so that address harvesters won't get a usable
address, but humans can still figure it out.

A relatively new Usenet newsgroup devoted to discussing spam blackhole lists such as
Spews.

A Usenet newsgroup devoted to the discussion of email abuse or spam.

A Usenet newsgroup to which participants post copies of email or newsgroup spam they
have received.

An Internet discussion forum, such as news.admin.net-abuse.email or rec.pets.cats.
All together, the thousands of newsgroups form a global bulletin board where people talk
about every topic imaginable.

To cancel an ISP user's account for spamming or for other policy violations.

Involves sending email ads to people who have requested to receive them.

Involves sending spam to recipients and giving them the option of being removed from
future mailings.

A tacit deal between an ISP and a spammer under which the spammer is allowed to use
the ISP's network to send spam or host a spamvertised site. Takes its name from the
color of the Hormel luncheon meat.

The computer port commonly used by Internet servers to send email.

A computer network service that allows users to make indirect connections to other
network services. Proxies have been widely abused by spammers to cloak their
identities.

One of the original spam blacklists, developed by the Mail Abuse Prevention System
(MAPS) to filter spam and control access to spamvertised web sites (
http://www.mail-abuse.com/services/mds_rbl.html
).

An email server that allows an outside user to relay email messages to other
Internet mail servers. Spammers often abuse open relays to obscure the source of their
messages.