Microsoft and Pobox.com Take Aim at Spam

REDMOND, Wash. – Computer giant Microsoft Corp. has formed an alliance with Pobox.com to develop a single standard for fighting the spam glut.

The purpose of the solution is so that Internet service providers can more easily filter out unsolicited email, a goal that both companies had been pursuing separately until this week.

Both Microsoft and Pobox, a subsidiary of Pennsylvania-based IC Group, are in talks to combine two solutions: Microsoft's Caller ID software for email, and a Sender Policy Framework solution developed by Pobox co-founder Meng Wong. Pobox is an email forwarding company.

The proposed standard would enable ISPs to track the address of the email sender and determine if it is sent from servers known to be used by mass spam marketers. Once the email is recognized as spam, it can be rejected by the ISP servers.

Microsoft is saying that the standard would be particularly effective when it comes to shutting out spam companies that use "cloaking" or "spoofing" methods to disguise the origin of their emails. Both practices use bogus headers and return addresses to mislead email recipients and elude anti-spam companies. In many cases those tactics are used to dupe users into handing over personal identification information.

"What we're trying to do is tell if an incoming email is really coming from where it says it's coming from," Wong told Reuters.

The two companies have announced their anti-spam alliance on the heels of a new research study claiming that in the month of April alone, 840 million spam emails were received by users, and among those millions, 97 percent were spam.

According to both Microsoft and Pobox, the proposed standard awaits approval from the Internet Engineering Task Force, an open international community of network designers, operators, vendors, and researchers concerned with the evolution of the Internet architecture and the operation of the Internet. IETF is overseen by the Internet Architecture Board.

Other ISPs and Internet heavy hitters like Amazon.com, Yahoo and American Online are also developing their own solutions to the spam scourge. In March of this year, Yahoo came out with an authentication system called Domain Keys, which digitally encrypts email messages in such a way that email browsers can reject certain email.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Sex Work CEO Launches 'Teams Plan' for AI Assistant

Sex Work CEO has introduced the new Teams Plan for its AI-powered, NSFW text generator, GPTease.

2025 XBIZ Amsterdam Website Launches With Call for Speakers

XBIZ is pleased to announce that the website for its annual European conference, XBIZ Amsterdam, is now live.

NC Governor Vetoes Bill Targeting Adult Industry, Override Possible

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein today vetoed a bill imposing new regulations that adult industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most adult creators and content.

25,000 Sign Petition to Legalize Pornography in Ukraine

An OnlyFans model’s petition to decriminalize pornography in Ukraine has amassed the 25,000 signatures required for official consideration by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

WannaCollab Joins Pineapple Support as Supporter-Level Sponsor

WannaCollab has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

FSC Unpacks SCOTUS Age Verification Ruling in Webinar

The Free Speech Coalition conducted a public webinar Tuesday to help adult industry stakeholders understand the Supreme Court’s recent decision in FSC v. Paxton, and its potential implications.

UK Lawmaker Calls for Appointment of 'Porn Minister'

Baroness Gabrielle Bertin, the Conservative member of Parliament who recently convened a new anti-pornography task force, is calling for the appointment of a “minister for porn,” according to British news outlet The Guardian.

FSC Toasts Jeffrey Douglas for 30 Years of Service

n the very same evening when the adult industry was hit hard by the Supreme Court ruling supporting Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181, members of the Free Speech Coalition board, staff and supporters gathered to celebrate Jeffrey Douglas’ 30 years as board chair — a fitting reflection of his reputation as an eternal optimist.

TTS Opens UK Testing Location

Talent Testing Service (TTS) has opened a new U.K. location in Ware, Hertfordshire.

FSC: Age-Verification Laws Go Into Effect in South Dakota, Georgia, Wyoming on July 1

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published a statement regarding new age verification laws set to go into effect tomorrow in South Dakota, Georgia, and Wyoming.

Show More