Spamming

Internet spamming is a term used to describe the high-volume sending of unsolicited electronic messages. The content of spam can range from harmless unwanted advertisements to potential scams and computer viruses. While spam is most commonly distributed via e-mail messages, it can be sent through all electronic channels that can receive messages, such as short message service (SMS) text messaging and social networks.

The word spam is in reference to the popular, processed canned-meat product with the same name. Internet spam got its nickname from a Monty Python skit in which a group of Vikings chanted “SPAM, SPAM, SPAM” loudly to drown out other conversations. The name was adopted to describe unsolicited Internet junk mail, perceived as overwhelming legitimate messages.

The ubiquity of the Internet coupled with the development of spam software in the mid-1990s allowed spammers to send high-volume messages cheaply and easily. Early spammers exploited mail relay servers using inexpensive software that automatically harvests e-mail addresses from America Online (AOL) member directories and other sources and sends bulk messages. Today, the Internet security company Symantec estimates that approximately 70% of all global e-mail is spam.

The volume and persistence of spam is very costly. Researchers at Microsoft and Google estimate that spam costs Americans $20 billion annually. Other researchers put the worldwide figure closer to $50 billion if one takes into account the cost in time workers spend sorting through and deleting spam. Other costs include storage on network servers, security software, and related expenses.

The nature and motivations for spamming often go beyond its common perception as an inexpensive, albeit annoying, form of mass advertising. Spam can serve as a mechanism for malicious activities that result in significant harm against victims. The [Page 682]varieties of spam, including its malicious forms and methods of defending against it, are discussed in the following section.