EMAIL SPAM DETECTION

Abstract

Internet has opened new channels of communication; enabling an e-mail to be sent to a relative thousands of kilometers away. This medium of communication opens doors for virtually free mass e-mailing, reaching out to hundred of thousands users within seconds. However, this freedom of communication can be misused. In the last couple of years spam has become a phenomenon that threatens the viability of communication via e-mail.

It is difficult to develop an accurate and useful definition of spam, although every e-mail user will quickly recognize spam messages. Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary1 defines spam as “unsolicited usually commercial e-mail sent to a large number of addresses”. Some other than commercial purposes of spam are to express political or religious opinions, deceive the target audience with promises of fortune, spread meaningless chain letters and infect the receivers’ computer with viruses. Even though one can argue that what is spam for one person can be an interesting mail message for another, most people agree that spam is a public frustration.