New MAAWG Communications Channel Boosts Industry's Abuse Response Capabilities

SAN FRANCISCO, October 24 /PRNewswire/ --

The Messaging Anti-Abuse Working Group, representing almost one billion mailboxes from some of the largest network operators worldwide, has launched the MAAWG Abuse Contact Database as a new online communications channel to improve industry cooperation among service providers, volume senders and email vendors. The database of email contacts provides MAAWG members direct access to the appropriate person at other MAAWG companies who can help resolve reputation, malware and other fraud or abuse related issues.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070124/CLW180LOGO )

The new database will improve communications among a significant portion of the industry and will ultimately help provide better service to end-users. For example, a MAAWG-member Internet service provider can use the database to send an email alerting another operator of a covert spam attack and thus help reduce the volume of spam in the email stream. Before the database was available, industry professionals often spent considerable time researching the suitable contact at another company to address a specific issue, according to Charles Stiles, MAAWG Chairman.

The database is accessible only to MAAWG members and only includes contact information for MAAWG member companies. It has been structured so that the contact information remains hidden to protect members' privacy and allows companies to define the contact issues relevant to their business.

"The MAAWG Abuse Contact Database represents the great strides being made by the industry in facilitating collaborative communication. This resource provides a win-win-win situation for mailers, mailbox providers and most importantly for consumers," Stiles said.

The MAAWG Abuse Contact Database is available when members login into the private section of the MAAWG Web site at http://www.MAAWG.org. The site also includes other materials available only to members, including presentation archives from MAAWG meetings, access to MAAWG committees, working technical documents and other resources.

About the Messaging Anti-Abuse Working Group (MAAWG)

The Messaging Anti-Abuse Working Group (MAAWG) is where the messaging industry comes together to work against spam, viruses, denial-of-service attacks and other online exploitation. MAAWG (http://www.MAAWG.org) is the only organization addressing messaging abuse holistically by systematically engaging all aspects of the problem, including technology, industry collaboration and public policy. It leverages the depth and experience of its global membership to tackle abuse on existing networks and new emerging services. Headquartered in San Francisco, Calif., MAAWG is an open forum driven by market needs and supported by major network operators and messaging providers.

Media Contact: Linda Marcus, APR, +1-714-974-6356, lmarcus@astra.cc, Astra Communications

MAAWG Sponsors (Board of Directors): AOL; AT&T; Bell Canada; Charter Communications (Nasdaq: CHTR); Cloudmark; Comcast (Nasdaq: CMCSA); Cox Communications (NYSE: COX); EarthLink (Nasdaq: ELNK); France Telecom (NYSE and Euronext: FTE); Goodmail Systems; Google Inc.; Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT); Openwave Systems (Nasdaq: OPWV); Time Warner Cable; Verizon Communications; and Yahoo! Inc.

MAAWG Full Members: 1&1 Internet AG; AG Interactive; Bizanga LTD; Internet Initiative Japan, (Nasdaq: IIJI); IronPort Systems; McAfee Inc.; MX Logic; Outblaze LTD; Return Path, Inc.; Sprint; Sun Microsystems, Inc.; Symantec; Telefonica SA; Telus; and Trend Micro, Inc.

MAAWG Supporter Members: AcquireWeb, Inc.; Acxiom Digital; Adaptive Mobile Security LTD; Adknowledge, Inc.; Aladdin Knowledge Systems; Alt-N Technologies, Ltd.; Acxiom Digital; Bandmail Solutions; BigHip; Bluehornet Networks, Inc.; BoxSentry PTE Ltd.; Brandmail Solutions; CheetahMail, an Experian Co.; Cincinnati Bell; Click Tactics; ColdSpark, Inc.; Commtouch Software LTD; CommuniGate Systems; Constant Contact; Critical Path, Inc.; Datran Media; eBay, Inc.; eCircle AG; ECO; e-Dialog; eleven GmbH; Emma, Inc.; Entidad Publica Empresarial RED.ES; Epsilon; Everyone.net, Inc.; ExactTarget, Inc.; Facultas/Lyris UK; Fishbowl Marketing; F-Secure Corp.; GetResponse, an Implix Company; Habeas Inc.; iContact; Informz; Insender Technologies Inc.; Insight Midwest, L.P.; iPost; Ipsos Interactive Services; Kerio Technologies, Inc.; Lyris Solutions; Mail-Filters; Mansell Group, Inc.; Merkle/Quris; Message Level, LLC; Message Systems; Messagelabs; Messaging Architects; Mirapoint Inc.; MTS Allstream Inc.; Netsuite, Inc.; Nextel Communications; Perftech, Inc.; Pivotal Veracity; Premiere Global Services; Responsys, Inc.; Rockliffe Systems; Rogers Cable; RPost; RSA Security Inc.; Salesforce.com; Sana Security; Sandvine Incorp.; S.C. Softwin SRL; Sendmail, Inc.; SMobile Systems; Sophos Plc.; Splio; St. Bernard Software; StreamShield Networks; StrongMail Systems, Inc.; Synacor, Inc.; TDC; TDS Telecom; Team Cymru; ThinData; TMN Group; Travelocity.com LP; TRUSTe; Tucows Inc.; UPC Broadband Operations BV; Verisign Inc.; Webmail.us; Word To The Wise; Yesmail; and ZDirect, Inc.

Web site: http://www.maawg.org