Slashdot Mirror
Spam Over Internet Telephony (SPIT) to Come?
grub writes "According to this article on NewScientist.com 'Spam and spim - spam by instant messenger -- are about to be joined by "spit" - spam over internet telephony' Yup, spam via VoIP."
← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)
So long as enough people are responding to spam to make it profitable, if you build it they will spam it.
"Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
At least with this one type of spam I know that the spammer is paying big bugs in bandwith to make it work. Just maybe we'll be lucky and it will turn out that voip spam isn't profitable and we will be free of it.
The GeekNights podcast is going strong. Listen!
Well, I for one, think I will just work myself into a tizzy until I reach critical mass and expload.
I don't see the same people that respond to spam, as the same people using telephoney. I will predict that the profit margin to people that respond will be too low to make this worthwhile until VOIP becomes more mainstream like email. (I can dream can't I)
Stay tuned for new sig...
Spam Over Analog Telephony...
Otherwise known as mortgage brokers and insurance salesmen who call you at dinnertime.
He adds that viruses are also possible with VoIP. A virus sent to phones could be used to launch more spit or to bring together thousands of VoIP systems to launch denial-of-service attacks.
Yeah, right, 'cause we always execute our voice mail messages!
Also, how is spamming voice mail via VoIP any different than just calling everybody up POTS?!? This article sounds more like another company trying to promote their "solution in search of a problem." Here's a hint: if spammers spoof their caller id and figure out how to insert random variations in the outgoing messages, this system isn't going to work anyway!
"Freedom means freedom for everybody" -- Dick Cheney
Are you really that suprised?
Read: telemarkerters.
What do they stop at? Nothing.
- First, today's spam has a link that says "http://somelegitsite.com", but the href is "http://1.2.3.4/uniqueID" to make you think you're going to a legit site, but really sending you elsewhere. Hard to do with voice contact, or, rather, audio contact.
- Second, they would never use a toll-free number. That would not only cost them money rather than you, but be easily traceable. For those who don't mind the traceability, it'll be a 900 number.
Besides, it'll all be automated - no human voice at the other endI have to say, this may end up turning out as a blessing in disguise. It's bad enough that most people have to deal with spam, but when you can effectively completely fuck a businesses telephony over anonymously and with little trouble, you'll end up seeing legislation. I guarentee you that.
I'd love to see a bayesian filter for voice data.
As for spit, I really don't plan on getting VoIP anytime soon as I'm satisfied by my POTS landline. Do I have to pay taxes on it, yes; so what? We pay taxes on everything, including VoIP indirectly. You might not have taxes on VoIP, yet, but I'll bet there are taxes and surcharges on your Cable/DSL bill. The article itself does not have much content past the rhetorical comments regarding growth and registries. And the moment that I get a virus on my telephone is the moment I dig out an old beige mechanical AT&T phone. Seriously, how many features does your household phone need? Caller ID, sure; Call Waiting, nah, if its important, they'll call back; voicemail, get an answering machine and save $5/mo.; etc.
Take a deep breath people and realize that humans and our respected cultures have existed for thousands of years and by turning your electronic toys, at least for a few minutes, you might find peaceful relaxation or learn something that does not have power requirement.
But what do I know, it seems the Slashdot audience lives behind the glow rather than under the sun, so I may be preaching to the wrong crowd. --Amigori
"The quality of life is determined by its activites."--Aristotle
Hmm, that may be true in the short term, but think long term. One could also say that the operating costs prevented conventional telephones from become uber-spamming machines. However, the telephone is evolving and that is no longer true. Bandwidth prices will simply continue to drop. The day will come where a VoIP call will be as insignificant as an email in cost.
Photos.
For starters, this is a fluff piece about a company that has just applied for a patent on this "technology". Of course, it's in their best interest for this to be a problem.
Unfortunately, I don't see how this problem is going to affect me when my ATA only accepts directives from VoicePulse, Vonage, Broadvoice or whoever's switch to which I'm buying service. Worse, it sits behind a router so there's NFW the ATA is going to even see packets that are not "new, established or related" (iptable speak).
Perhaps the author hasn't effectively communicated how this technology works, or maybe the company isn't divulging how it works, or maybe the have a great solution looking for a problem.
As mentioned here many times before, "move along, nothing to see".
This would be telemarketting with NONE of the regulations....
Or maybe ALL of the regulations. It all depends on how the corts see it when someone desides to sue over it.
Spammers have said "Spam is just like other forms of marketting" putting on some fake eco-friendly face on spam with domain names like "SaveTrees" etc.
But Spam was never regulated and the other forms of "direct marketting" are.
Voice over IP or Telephony is basicly the Internet answer to the telephone but there are some major diffrences.
Here we have one... Voice over IP Telemarketting isn't regulated.
There are rules and regulations as to whom you can call with telemarketting and how you may obtain a phone number. VoIP has no such rules.
There are rules for when you can call (no calling someone while they are sleeping)...
VoIP has no such rules.
So there you have it....
VoIP... Telemarketting free to do all the criminal scams of the past.
I don't actually exist.