For those of you that actively comment (or blog a lot), you will have noticed a new requirement when leaving a comment----the SPAM STOPPER!  Basically its a security measure designed to stop bots (scripts that spammers and hackers use to scan websites and insert various things) from filling out comments on our blogs.  I'm sure you've all experienced it in your guestbook or contact forms.  Requests for link exchanges with pharmacy or adult sites, praise for your website with a small note to visit our site at the live link of xxx. com.

If you are getting a lot of spam through your website, there are some things you can do to limit the amount.  First, you can remove your email link from your home page and put a link to a contact form instead.  A lot of spam harvesters only scan the index page of a website when harvesting addresses.   You can also put your email address in a photo and post it on your home page for those visitors that don't like to use contact forms. You can use java script as well to hide the address, while still making it useable. There are also CGI scripts that you can download for free to setup hidden email to help reduce spam from bots. I've requested from our webhost, Advanced Access, that they put a security measure in place for our guestbook to help reduce the amount of spam its generating.

Quite a bit of spam is generated from two places - Nigeria and China. A drastic step would be to block those ip addresses that originate from those countries. Some providers will do it for you upon request. That will help to a certain extent, but most spammers are using spoofed addresses(spoofed is a fake address or concealed) so its originating from a legitimate server that isn't even aware spam is being generated. Some providers are now automatically checking for spoofed addresses and blocking or flagging those automatically.  If you use outlook express, you can create a message rule to automatically route mail based on subject or sender. For example, if you continue to receive spam from the same address, you can create a rule to route those into a specific folder, not download them or even delete them from the server.  BE VERY CAREFUL when doing that.  Be SURE it will never cause you lose legitimate email!!!!  Here in Las Vegas, Cox Communications will flag suspicious email with a SPAM tag for you.  I have a rule set up so those emails are routed to a spam folder, so Jacqui can look at all of her legitimate email first, then check those to make sure nothing important was mislabeled, saving her time for what's really important - legitimate communications. Perhaps we should all start a campaign, Just Say NO to Spam.  :) -Charles