TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Information: Unsolicited Email Spam FAQs
► Summary:
The following information provides resources and "Frequently Asked Questions" about Unsolicited Email
Spam.
► Frequently Asked Questions
No one likes unsolicited e-mail (spam) except the spammers. The Internet has been overwhelmed with
spam that is often offensive, both in volume and content. A great deal of time, money and good will is
spent by legitimate Internet users and Internet Service Providers, like Suddenlink, in dealing with the
problem. A number of state legislatures and Congress are also trying to address the problem through
legislation.
Suddenlink does not provide its customers' email addresses to spammers and does not permit its
customers to send unsolicited mass emails. Suddenlink Communications has a variety of measures in
place to help protect our Suddenlink High Speed Internet customers and our network from spam, and
we continue to look for ways to improve our services through the control and elimination of spam.
There are things you, as a customer, can do to understand the problem and help to solve it. Following
these tips and making use of available software, such as SpamKiller from McAfee Security can help
reduce the problem for you.
How Spammers get email addresses:
Spammers use a variety of methods to gather email addresses, send their messages and cover their
tracks. Sometimes they will send email from computers set up as email servers and configured
specifically to send spam. They will also make use of computer virus programs, which enable them to
use computers belonging to others to send the spam. Spammers generally get their address lists from
several places. Searching public bulletin boards, web pages and newsgroups for valid email addresses is
one common method. Preparing a list of common names (like jim, joe, jane...) then adding the
@Suddenlink.net address to them is another. While it's nice to be a popular ISP, sometimes it makes
Suddenlink a bigger target for people sending spam than smaller regional ISPs.
Methods for Controlling Incoming Spam:
If you post to newsgroups or message boards, you can change your "from" email address by adding
spaces or characters to deter spammers from harvesting it from such locations. If your email address is
in your email signature, you can eliminate it or us the same technique. You can also remove your name
from major online directories. You should never respond to the "unsubscribe" link in any unsolicited
email, as doing so can prompt even more mail from the source.
If you receive an unsolicited commercial email (spam message), you may report it to the sender's ISP.
In order to do this you must first view the complete message header for the spam message to identify
the source network, and then send a report to the network's administrator. Some useful information on
how to identify the correct data in the message header or within the message itself is available at
http://combat.uxn.com/tracing.html
Suddenlink has been successful at identifying addresses of known spammers and adding them to our
own black lists. This is just one step in our investigation of network-based anti-spam solutions that will
integrate with our email platform. This will allow us to recognize and block spam from known
spammers using rules-based methods and also white or black lists.
For additional information from the Federal Trade Commission on dealing with spam, we suggest you
Methods for Controlling Outgoing Spam:
The below information is found in Suddenlink's Acceptable Use Policy (AUP), expressly prohibiting the
use of the Suddenlink High Speed Internet connection to generate spam. The accounts of customers
who violate Suddenlink's anti-spam policy may be suspended or terminated.
You may not use the Service to send unsolicited bulk or commercial e-mail messages ("spam"). Any
unsolicited e-mail must also not direct the recipient to any web site or other resource that uses the
Service. The Service may not be used to collect responses from unsolicited e-mail sent from accounts
on other Internet hosts or e-mail services that violates this Policy or the acceptable use policy of any
other Internet service provider. In addition, "mail bombing," the sending of numerous copies of the
same or substantially similar messages or very large messages or files with the intent to disrupt a
server or account, is prohibited.
Suddenlink continuously reviews the feedback emailed to our Security and Abuse Team regarding the
amount of spam generated by computers on our network. Based on review of this feedback in July,
2003, Suddenlink determined it necessary to implement new procedures to prevent outgoing spam so
that Suddenlink could avoid being blacklisted by other ISPs.
To reduce unsolicited bulk email sent on our Suddenlink High Speed Internet network, Suddenlink
instituted outbound SMTP traffic filtering (port 25 filtering). Currently Suddenlink also filters all
inbound SMTP traffic in an effort to protect unsecured computers on the network from being used as
mail relay by potential spammers.
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The outbound SMTP traffic blocking security measure is designed to protect Internet users and
the Suddenlink High Speed Internet network. The vast majority of customers are not affected
by this practice in any way. However, a small number of customers who use e-mail addresses
outside of the @Suddenlink.net domain and who do not currently have their SMTP servers set
for Suddenlink mail servers do need to change their settings. The requirement that Suddenlink
servers be used for all outgoing mail is simply so that Suddenlink can observe and control
spammers by removing them from the network.
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Outbound SMTP traffic blocking is quickly becoming an industry standard. Other ISPs who block
port 25 include Bellsouth, Earthlink, Mindspring, Verizon, Mediaone, and MSN.
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Since the implementation of the port 25 blocking procedure, Suddenlink has seen significant
decreases in the residential Suddenlink High Speed Internet complaint counts for different
abuse types impacted by the port 25 blocking. Port scanning complaints decreased by 36%,
virus complaints by 41%, spam complaints by 52%, and open proxy by more than 78%.
·
Port 25 blocking also helped to control the impact viruses that have polluted the network by
preventing their spread via email routing through port 25.
FAQs:
I'm getting spam even though I have never given out my address. Is Suddenlink selling my
information?
We do not sell our customers' e-mail addresses. Sometimes spammers will try lists of common names or
words in different combinations to locate an active e-mail address. For more information, please
review our Privacy Policy. To learn more about how to reduce spam, please review our article on
Unsolicited Commercial E-Mail
How can I prevent spammers from getting my email address?
Avoid placing your email address on Web sites or newsgroups. When providing your email address to
third parties, verify their Privacy Policy to determine if they sell your information and what you can do
to prevent it. Only provide your email address to trusted parties.
Does Suddenlink block or filter port 25?
Yes, Suddenlink blocks all network traffic from residential customer IP addresses going outbound on
port 25 (SMTP) at our routers, unless it is being sent to a Suddenlink HSI SMTP server.
Does the outbound blocking of port 25 mean that Suddenlink customers have to use their
@Suddenlink.net email addresses for everything they send?
No. Customers can use any valid e-mail address, but the email sent from their Suddenlink High Speed
Internet connection must be routed through a Suddenlink SMTP server.
What are the correct SMTP server settings to use on the Suddenlink High Speed Internet Service?
Please contact a Customer Service Representative at 1-800-490-9604 for information about the correct
servers for your area.
Why does Suddenlink block outgoing mail from use of port 25?
The filter of port 25 drastically reduces the number of spam and virus emails originating from our
customers machines. Suddenlink had to take this action in order to ensure that a few bulk e-mailers or
virus disseminators did not result in the entire Suddenlink.net domain being blacklisted by other
Internet Service Providers.
Other ISPs don't block outbound use of port 25, why does Suddenlink?
Although some ISPs may currently allow the use of third party outgoing mail servers, other providers
such as MSN, Earthlink, Mindspring, Verizon, and Mediaone do block outbound use of port 25. We adopt
this industry standard among ISPs to help control the volume of outgoing spam and the dissemination of
viruses. As the problem of spam continues to proliferate, we believe that other ISPs will implement this
and similar blocks.
How does the filter of port 25 help with the problem of spam?
Typically, when a customer sends an email, it is routed to a Suddenlink.net mail server (e.g.
smtp.east.Suddenlink.net), and the Suddenlink server relays it to the recipient's server. Spammers and
modern mass mailer viruses commonly bypass the Suddenlink.net mail servers. They send mail directly
from their computer to others' mail servers without routing it through a Suddenlink.net mail server.
The filter of port 25 prevents spammers from bypassing Suddenlink.net mailservers and delivering spam
directly to Internet users. Also, this filter prevents viruses such as W32.Klez.H@mm from propagating
at all.
Does the filter of port 25 hinder customers' ability to send email?
The filter of port 25 does not impact the vast majority of Suddenlink customers, only the small
percentage of customers who use third party mail servers. Any software configured to use an SMTP
server other than smtp.*.Suddenlink.net to deliver email directly to a recipient's server will not work.
An indication of this problem may be a message similar to this in the customer's mail client.
A time-out occurred while communicating with the server. Account: `otheraccount.othersisp.com',
Server: `othersmtp.com', Protocol: SMTP, Port 25, Secure (SSL): No, error Number: 0x800CCC19
Customers using third party email services must configure their email clients to use
smtp.*.Suddenlink.net to send outbound email. Please remember that operating an email or other
server on a residential Suddenlink High Speed Internet connection is a violation of our Acceptable Use
Policy.
Some Suddenlink customers use a laptop at both home and office. The port 25 filter forces some of
these customers to change email settings when checking work email from home. What is
Suddenlink's solution for this?
Many customers in this situation have been able to use a VPN (virtual private network) connection to
access their email without having to change settings. Another solution may be to use web-based email
applications where applicable. A third option is to simply adjust the setting when working from home;
this is typically a one-line entry within the e-mail client on the computer.
Does the filter of port 25 affect web-based email services?
No, customers may continue to use Suddenlink High Speed Internet WebMail, or services like HotMail
and Yahoo mail as they always have.
Does the filtering of Port 25 outbound affect the receipt of inbound email?
No. This does not affect retrieval of inbound email from any service.
I pay for my own domain name so I can send personal e-mail through that server. Is Suddenlink
blocking this legitimate use?
We understand that some customers have vanity domain names; Suddenlink does not prevent
customers from using their personal domain names. To ensure your ability to send email from your
personal domain such that the recipient sees a non-Suddenlink.net email address as the "from" or
"reply to" address, your mail client must be set to a Suddenlink outgoing mail server. The domain used
in any such address must have an MX record that can be resolved by Suddenlink DNS servers (i.e.
mac.com, yourdomain.com). These settings are transparent to email recipients, and will not impact
your ability to receive email. If you have a business requirement to bypass the Suddenlink mail servers,
please contact Suddenlink Business Services for additional options.
Does Suddenlink read my mail?
No. We respect your privacy and do not read any email messages, instant messages, online chats, or
the content of other online communications that reside on or pass through our Service. If you would
like more detailed information, please review our Privacy Policy.
What is the CAN-Spam Act?
The CAN-Spam Act, effective January 1, 2004, preempts all State spam statutes and places a series of
requirements on commercial email, "the primary purpose of which is the commercial advertisement or
promotion of a commercial product or service." The act requires companies that send or initiate
commercial email to:
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Refrain from using a misleading subject heading
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Provide in each message a valid return email or Internet-based reply address
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Provide in each message a physical postal address in the text
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Provide a conspicuous notice that it is an advertisement or solicitation
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Include a notice explaining how recipients can prevent the transmission of future messages by
using the sender's return email address or Internet-based reply address and honoring such
requests within 10 days
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Refrain from selling or exchanging the email address of any recipient who has made an "opt-
out" request
Businesses are permitted to send "transactional or relationship messages to facilitate, complete or
confirm a commercial transaction that the recipient has previously agreed to enter into." This is
intended to be a very narrow exception and would include warranty, recall, safety or security
information regarding a product previously purchased, periodic account statements and the like.
"Transactional or relationship" messages may also contain content promoting a product or service
unrelated to a previous transaction if ancillary to the primary purpose of the communication.
A safe harbor exists for companies that have reasonable compliance practices and make good faith
compliance efforts. The Act also requires the FTC to study the creation of a nationwide "do-not-email"
registry similar to its "do-not-call" list.
How does the CAN-Spam Act impact Suddenlink High Speed Internet Customers?
It is widely recognized that government efforts to prevent spam will be difficult. Early legislation on
this issue by various States and other nations has been criticized as being difficult to enforce and
