spam filter
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Verizon's free spam filter and anti-robocall tool are live
Verizon (which owns Engadget's parent company, Verizon Media) has opened access to a free version of its spam filter and is rolling out its anti-robocall tech. The Call Filter app detects and filters spam, while allowing you to report the numbers that called you. It can also automatically block robocalls. The $2.99/month version comes with some extra features, including caller ID, a personal block list and a risk meter.
Google uses AI to rid your Gmail inbox of more spam
Spam is always annoying, but it can occasionally be disastrous. Google has now deployed its artificial neural network to stop more of it from arriving in your Gmail inbox, something it hinted at earlier. It's designed to "detect and block the especially sneaky spam -- the kind that could actually pass for wanted mail," according to the company. The system also uses machine learning to track your usage patterns and figure out if you want certain kinds of mail, like newsletters or promos. Most critically, Google said that Gmail is now better at catching impersonation -- when emails appear to be from a known contact, but were sent by someone who is definitely not your friend.
Google adds spam explanation to Gmail, steers clear of enlightenment
Why is this message in spam? It's a question we find ourselves asking our Gmail boxes almost daily, when messages that really should have made it through to the inbox end up in electronic purgatory instead. So why does Google's algorithm choose to filter certain legitimate messages, while letting the vast majority arrive unscathed? The answer can now be found atop each message filed as spam, presented with the simplest of explanations, that generally fails to provide any actual insight as to the email's assigned delivery. Such worthless gems as "It's similar to messages that were detected by our spam filters," "It contains content that's typically used in spam messages" or "Many people marked similar messages as spam" now await you above each note -- seemingly assigned just as casually as the emails themselves.
Hotmail adds 'My friend's been hacked!' feature to finger phishers
Hotmail's spent the past few years playing catch up with the competition, but for the most part, it hasn't done anything particularly groundbreaking with its services. Earth shattering might not be the appropriate descriptor for its latest addition, but Hotmail's added a helpful new feature to distinguish plain old spam from the kind that comes form a trusted source. Now, when you get an email from a friend that smells of something sea dwelling -- say a plea for some extra scratch from abroad -- you can select "My friend's been hacked!" from the "Mark as" menu, alerting the powers that be that your friend's account has been hacked. When you mark a missive as junk, you can likewise click a box that reads: "I think this person was hacked!" Once that's done, the spammers are kicked to the curb, and your friend is put through an "account recovery flow" the next time they attempt to log in. On the prevention front, Hotmail will soon roll out a new service that blocks users from selecting common passwords. It might not be enough to coax us over, but maybe this time the other guys could learn a few lessons.
GSMA and Cloudmark cooking up an SMS spam reporting system
If you get just five spam text messages a day then consider yourselves lucky, as a Chinese mobile user could easily amass at least 30 messages daily, according to Cloudmark. Fortunately, said company has been working with GSMA and various network operators on building an SMS spam reporting system, which should help drastically reduce worldwide cellphone spam. The idea is rather simple: in a multi-country trial that ended last December, participants from AT&T, Bell Mobility, SFR, Sprint, Vodafone, Korea Telecom, and the Korean Internet & Security Agency forwarded suspect spam to "7726," which is short code for "spam." Cloudmark's cloud-based system would then be able to identify and block these messages in the future, be it scams, linkbaits, or just ads from perverse companies. While this sounds like a perfect solution, it's not entirely clear how much this service would cost the operators, but hey, it's never too early to start a petition if you need it that badly.
Aion's spam filter is bigger, stronger, faster
Gold seller spam got you down; keeping you from purchasing Aion? Fret not, fair... uh, would be Aionites, because NCsoft is working towards fixing the solution through improvements and good will. We already know that essential 24/7 GM support is on its way, so the news that the recent 10.5.0.10 added an improved chat spam filter is delicious, vengeful frosting on our Crytek-powered cake.By our observations, spam has been reduced to the occasional whisper or channel message from a character with an odd umlaut or whatnot in their name. Hopefully the update continues to hold water, and the gold sellers simply recede into the darkness from whence they came. Should the spammers ever return in force, we hope that NCsoft is ready to sweep an otherworldly banhammer of justice across their maw in a manner most pleasing to all of us in the community.
Further info on Blizzard's new anti-spammer tech
We've reported on the "right click the spammer's name and report them" feature. Players had some additional questions, so the fine folks at WoW's European official site have created a Squelcher FAQ. They don't reveal their methods (that could give the spammers a way to get around it), but they do include some interesting facts about the new functionality that you may not have heard.When you report someone as spamming, it not only blocks any further whispers or mail from that character, it blocks any further communication from any character on that account. And if that account gets reported a certain number of times, it will be prevented from communicating with anyone until the GMs can investigate the reports.Also, there are some restrictions on using the "Report Spam" feature. You can only use it once every minute and only five times every 24 hours. And you can't use it on anyone on your friends list, in your guild or, duh, yourself. Other than that, lay down the report hammer on any unsolicited spam and get in line to buy a Blizzard employee a drink at BlizzCon 2007!
