Microsoft and Pobox.com Take Aim at Spam

REDMOND, Wash. – Computer giant Microsoft Corp. has formed an alliance with Pobox.com to develop a single standard for fighting the spam glut.

The purpose of the solution is so that Internet service providers can more easily filter out unsolicited email, a goal that both companies had been pursuing separately until this week.

Both Microsoft and Pobox, a subsidiary of Pennsylvania-based IC Group, are in talks to combine two solutions: Microsoft's Caller ID software for email, and a Sender Policy Framework solution developed by Pobox co-founder Meng Wong. Pobox is an email forwarding company.

The proposed standard would enable ISPs to track the address of the email sender and determine if it is sent from servers known to be used by mass spam marketers. Once the email is recognized as spam, it can be rejected by the ISP servers.

Microsoft is saying that the standard would be particularly effective when it comes to shutting out spam companies that use "cloaking" or "spoofing" methods to disguise the origin of their emails. Both practices use bogus headers and return addresses to mislead email recipients and elude anti-spam companies. In many cases those tactics are used to dupe users into handing over personal identification information.

"What we're trying to do is tell if an incoming email is really coming from where it says it's coming from," Wong told Reuters.

The two companies have announced their anti-spam alliance on the heels of a new research study claiming that in the month of April alone, 840 million spam emails were received by users, and among those millions, 97 percent were spam.

According to both Microsoft and Pobox, the proposed standard awaits approval from the Internet Engineering Task Force, an open international community of network designers, operators, vendors, and researchers concerned with the evolution of the Internet architecture and the operation of the Internet. IETF is overseen by the Internet Architecture Board.

Other ISPs and Internet heavy hitters like Amazon.com, Yahoo and American Online are also developing their own solutions to the spam scourge. In March of this year, Yahoo came out with an authentication system called Domain Keys, which digitally encrypts email messages in such a way that email browsers can reject certain email.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

FSC Publishes Analysis of Federal Trade Commission Event Promoting AV

Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published an analysis of a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) event held this week that promoted age verification among other forms of speech regulation.

GirlsDoPorn Owner Michael Pratt Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking

Michael Pratt, former owner of the rogue website GirlsDoPorn, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California on Thursday to sex trafficking and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking charges, according to a report by City News Service.

Master Nico Relaunches Site Through YourPaysitePartner

Master Nico has relaunched his official website through YourPaysitePartner (YPP).

Federal Judge Grants Partial Halt of Florida AV Law

The United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida, Tallahassee Division, has granted a preliminary injunction against HB 3, the state's age verification law, as a lawsuit filed by two online trade associations challenging the law makes its way through the courts.

Aylo Releases Statement on Suspending Access to Pornhub in France

Technology and media company Aylo, which operates adult sites including Pornhub, YouPorn, and Redtube, has released a public statement regarding its decision to block access to its sites in France.

Pineapple Support to Host Wellness Sessions at Bucharest Summit

Pineapple Support is hosting free group and one-on-one therapy sessions at Bucharest Summit, June 3-5.

Pornhub Blocks Access in France in Response to SREN Law

Pornhub parent company Aylo has opted to block access to its sites in France rather than comply with age verification requirements under the country’s Security and Regulation of the Digital Space (SREN) law.

ASACP Highlights Study on Parental Controls

The Association of Sites Advocating Child Protection (ASACP) is highlighting the results of a study on the underutilization of parental controls.

Sydney Screams Launches New Site Through Grooby's Blue.xxx

Sydney Screams has launched her new membership site, SydneyScreams.xxx, through Grooby's website management company Blue.xxx.

Mistress Mystii Is LoyalFans' 'Featured Creator' for June

LoyalFans has named Mistress Mystii as its Featured Creator for June.

Show More