Anti-Spam Discussion Forums

[mszeptycki]

Hi,

I have an idea that looks good to me - I belive it could work, but it is so simple that it is hard to belive it is not yet introduced...

The idea is: Electronic Signature of each e-mail.

If every email sent, would have a signature of the sender and if email software of everyone would have the function "to not accept not-signed emails" then the volume of SPAM in the world would drop radically, or even the Spam would disappeare complety?

If the system would work, it would look like that:

1. There are few "Signature-Servers" in internet.

2. If you apply there you can get your own unique signature.

3. Then if you have the signature, your email software add it to each email (it encypher it with it), so you send only encyphered emails.

4. If someone received your email, it is "written" on it "Encyphered by the signature from ABC Company".

5. Then the receiving software contacts the "ABC Company" to get the code to read the email.

6. In perfect situation everyone has the signature, and everyone accept only signed emails.

7. If someone abuses email to send the spam then the receiving person can claim him to the "Signature Server".

8. Then after, let say, 50 claims, the server cancel the validation of Signature of the spammer.

It should work....!? Isn't it?

Right now the spammers send millions of emails from one place. Of course it is some written "John Smith" or "Jane Brown" - different every time, but the sender is the same.

With the "Signature Servers" the spammer can send only up to 50 emails then he has to change the email address and start again.

(What is more, if the authorisation in "Signature Server" has to be done by a person ("read the strange numbers" check) then I belive all spammers has to quit their job and star doing something else....

For the beginning it could start with some "Signature Server", and some software that divides:
- signed emails (for sure no spam)
- unsigned emails (spam or not spam - not sure)
Then gradually the number of users should increase, when it reach i.e. 90% of internet then they will probably see that in "unsigned emails folder" there is only spam so they will finally stop it (no unsigned emails accepted)

And that is all :)

Isn't it simple?

If there is any weak point in my idea please let me know.

Regards,

M. Szeptycki

[SpamItBack]

Intriguing idea...

There have been several 'variations' of that (i.e., 'casekeys', or yahoo trying to have 'server' verification, but those are easy to spoof).

Your base idea is good... Would need some tweaking (I know how you have it listed it would be too easy to spoof), but... hmm, we'll think about it and see what we can do...

Thanks.