We’ve been having plenty of stormy weather over the past few days, so in keeping with the theme, did you know you even get e-mail storms?
“An email storm is a sudden spike of Reply All messages on an email distribution list, usually caused by a controversial or misdirected message. Such storms start when multiple members of the distribution list reply to the entire list at the same time in response to the instigating message. Other members soon respond, usually adding vitriol to the discussion, asking to be removed from the list, or pleading for the cessation of messages. If enough members reply to these unwanted messages this triggers a chain reaction of email messages. The sheer load of traffic generated by these storms can render the email servers inoperative, similar to a DDoS attack.
A related phenomenon occurs when a subscriber to a mailing list emails the mailing list to “UNSUBSCRIBE”. People will reply to the hapless individual on the mailing list, half of them advising on how to unsubscribe, the other half referring to the manual of the mailing list manager. More subscribers will reply to the previous round of respondents, again to the list, this time about mailing list etiquette.
Some email viruses also have the capacity to create email storms, by sending copies of themselves to an infected user’s contacts, including distribution lists, infecting the contacts in turn.”
[SOURCE: www.wikipedia.org]
Die Wes-Kaap is die afgelope week met mening deur stormweer geteister. Maar het jy geweet dat daar selfs in die tegnologiese wêreld storms is – e-pos storms.
`n E-pos storm is `n skielike toename in Reply All boodskappe op `n e-pos verspreidingslys, gewoonlik veroorsaak deur `n kontroversiële of verkeerdelik geadresseerde boodskap. Hierdie storms ontstaan wanneer veelvuldige lede van `n verspreidingslys antwoord aan almal op die hele lys in reaksie op die aanhitsende boodskap. Ander lede antwoord gevolglik vinnig, vra om verwyder te word van die lys of dat die boodskappe moet stop, maar gooi daardeur nog meer olie op die vuur.
Indien genoeg lede antwoord op hierdie ongevraagde boodskap ontlont dit `n kettingreaksie van e-posadresse. Die brute lading van verkeer gegenereer deur dié storms kan selfs e-pos bedieners plattrek.
`n Soortgelyke verskynsel vind plaas wanneer `n intekenaar van `n verspreidingslys aan die lys e-pos stuur op te “UNSUBSCRIBE”. Ander lede sal die arme individu antwoord en raadgee oor hoe om die lys te verlaat of die persoon verwys na die handleiding. Nog meer intekenare sal op die vorige persone antwoord – hierdie keer oor e-pos etiket.
Sommige e-pos virusse kan ook e-pos storms veroorsaak deur kopieë van hulself te stuur na `n besmette gebruiker se kontakte en verspreidingslyte en dan ook die kontakte in die proses besmet.
[SOURCE: www.wikipedia.org]
