Mail Terminology
Terminology : related to e-mail issues.
- Black hole : An e-mail account which deletes all mail sent to it.
- Cauce : The "Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial E-mail" A volunteer run organization created to oppose junk e-mail.
- Drop off / drop box : the account used by a spammer solely for the purpose of forwarding e-mail to their "real" e-mail address. These accounts are expendable as they lose these throwaway accounts frequently. These accounts are most often from free email providers as they can be set up with minimal information. Also known as "throwaway accounts".
- Junk mail : An excessive number of unwanted or unsolicited emails.
- Mail bomb : Large number of and/or excessively large pieces of e-mail sent to a single e-mail address, with the aim to make prevent normal use of the mailbox. A punishment trick tried by Spammers
- Open relay : A mail Server which is unsecured and permits anyone to use it, making it possible for spammers to send large amounts of unwanted mail and abuse from it. Theft of services would be a nice word, with the unsecured mail server Admin., having to take the abuse and complaints.
- RBL : Fondly referred to as the "Real time Black List" A list maintained of domains and IP addresses known to be sources of large amounts of junk e-mail and unsecured Mail servers. This list is used by many ISPs to block in progress SPAM and serves to block all e-mail from blacklisted domains. The list is often updated in real time.
- Spam / Spammer : A person who engages in the sending of spam or UCE.
- Spamvertise : The attempted promotion of a product, service, or web site through the sending of unsolicited mass emails. considered invasive and a dubious means of promotion. Does many sites more harm, when those sites are blacklisted.
- Tarpit : A method of locking out Spammers email for extended periods based on excessive number of emails received.
- UBE / UCE : Unsolicited Bulk Email and Unsolicited Commercial Email i.e. spam. Invasive never ending junk mail.
- Whack-a-mole : The Art of repeatedly causing spammer's throwaway accounts and drop boxes to be terminated. Also affectionately known as " KILLS ".
- Greylisting : Rejecting mail on first attempt, however accepting on second attempt. Very effective in reducing junkmail from virus infected machines, that spam for spammers.
- Baheysian filtering : Very effective method of eleviating spam from Pop3 accounts.