Microsoft Pushes Antispam Technology Merger

SPF may not have a catchy name, but it's highly flexible and easily installed by admins. It checks e-mail at the transport level, blocking the transmission of some spam. However, SPF leaves content unchecked and open to malicious attacks. The aptly named Caller ID for E-Mail goes deeper, verifying the content of a message to help detect dreaded phisher attacks.

The final details of the merger haven't been worked out, but with Microsoft's clout and obvious interest in the spam problem, it's likely that the deployment of the new "Sender Caller Policy ID Framework" will be swift. That's good news for both IT professionals and end users who find spam a continuing source of frustration.