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MailKey Launch New Anti-SPAM Tool

Posted: 13th Feb, 2004 By: MarkJ

Messaging security and management specialist MailKey has today announced the introduction of SenderID(tm), which protects against identity theft and address spoofing. We note that a large percentage of SPAM is sent from spoofed (fake) e-mail addresses:

MailKey launches SenderID TM

Messaging security and management specialist MailKey today launches its new SenderIDTM authentication technology to strengthen the fight against spam, identity theft and prevent viruses. The technology protects against identity theft and address spoofing - both employed by spammers and virus writers to get past filters.

SenderIDTM provides a technological solution that allows email recipients and senders to move towards a safer environment now. SenderID(tm) is itself an open standard protocol, developed by MailKey, that runs a series of tests on inbound email messages. The SenderID(tm) protocol allows SenderID(tm)-compliant software running on a mail server to authenticate senders of messages it receives.

MailKey has developed Secure Message Layer V1.0 (SML v1.0) as a free download for server administrators to utilise. Once installed on a server, the SML v1.0 does the following for inbound messages:

1. Checks to see if incoming messages have originated from another SenderID(tm) registered server - if so, the sender can be securely authenticated.

2. Checks the headers of the message for technical anomalies indicating a faked origin.

Emails can be flagged with different levels of authenticity to warn users of the potential dangers.

Servers enabled with SenderID(tm) compliant software can also help all other mail servers to authenticate the origin of emails sent from them. This helps messages from SenderID(tm) compliant servers to be better trusted.

"Authentication is a fundamental addition to messaging security solutions already in place," says Bryan Carmichael, Chief Technology Officer of MailKey. "If you can identify and block the faked email senders, you massively reduce the impact of spam and the spread of viruses," he adds.

SenderID(tm) Registry - protecting the identity of senders that are registered

SenderID(tm) is also developing a SenderID(tm) Registry - an open directory database for domain owners and email administrators to register their domains.

"By registering on the SenderID(tm) Registry, you can help protect your domain against virus writers sending mails that pretend to be from you," says Tim Dean-Smith, MailKey founder and CEO. "With a registry of known identities and a network of protected computers that have access to that registry, we will be able to stop spoofed messages getting through. MailKey believes that SenderID(tm) authentication or similar is vital for the implementation of effective secure messaging. Legislation will not stop spam and will not stop virus writers. Technology will stop them," he adds.

"Establishing sender identity is the first step in building the accreditation and reputation systems that will stop spam," says Margaret Olsen, CTO of Constant Contact and technology committee co-chair, the Email Service Provider Coalition. "The US market is rapidly moving in this direction and MailKey's Sender ID is consistent with that approach."

http://www.senderid.org