%PDF-1.3 1 0 obj << /Type /Catalog /Outlines 2 0 R /Pages 3 0 R >> endobj 2 0 obj << /Type /Outlines /Count 0 >> endobj 3 0 obj << /Type /Pages /Kids [6 0 R ] /Count 1 /Resources << /ProcSet 4 0 R /Font << /F1 8 0 R /F2 9 0 R /F3 10 0 R /F4 11 0 R >> >> /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] >> endobj 4 0 obj [/PDF /Text ] endobj 5 0 obj << /Creator (DOMPDF) /CreationDate (D:20250717044911+00'00') /ModDate (D:20250717044911+00'00') /Title (Report 07-2025) >> endobj 6 0 obj << /Type /Page /Parent 3 0 R /Annots [ 12 0 R 14 0 R 16 0 R 18 0 R ] /Contents 7 0 R >> endobj 7 0 obj << /Length 4030 >> stream 0.702 0.800 0.816 rg 34.016 34.016 543.969 723.969 re f 1.000 1.000 1.000 rg 45.266 317.192 521.469 429.542 re f 0.773 0.773 0.773 RG 0.75 w 0 J [ ] 0 d 45.641 317.567 520.719 428.792 re S 0.773 0.773 0.773 rg 61.016 332.942 m 550.984 332.942 l 550.984 333.692 l 61.016 333.692 l f 0.200 0.200 0.200 rg BT 61.016 693.716 Td /F1 14.4 Tf [(“PLEASE SUPPORT STIAS…” EMAIL CAUSES A MAIL STORM)] TJ ET 0.400 0.400 0.400 rg BT 61.016 664.909 Td /F2 9.0 Tf [(Posted on )] TJ ET BT 104.045 664.909 Td /F3 9.0 Tf [(January 01,1970)] TJ ET BT 173.588 664.909 Td /F2 9.0 Tf [( by )] TJ ET BT 188.096 664.909 Td /F3 9.0 Tf [(David Wiles)] TJ ET 0.153 0.153 0.153 rg BT 61.016 637.420 Td /F4 9.0 Tf [(There is no reason to be worried or concerned about a mail that is being circulated with the subject line starting with )] TJ ET BT 61.016 626.431 Td /F4 9.0 Tf [("PLEASE SUPPORT STIAS...")] TJ ET BT 61.016 606.442 Td /F4 9.0 Tf [(Although it is definitely spam)] TJ ET BT 175.064 606.442 Td /F2 9.0 Tf [( \(defined as unsolicited commercial e-mail\))] TJ ET BT 345.605 606.442 Td /F4 9.0 Tf [( it does not appear have any dangerous content )] TJ ET BT 61.016 595.453 Td /F4 9.0 Tf [(and was sent out by a university user to over 300 addresses one of which was the general IT Service Desk email address. )] TJ ET BT 61.016 584.464 Td /F4 9.0 Tf [(Because it was sent to the address which automatically logs service requests the account automatically emailed all the )] TJ ET BT 61.016 573.475 Td /F4 9.0 Tf [(recipients with "Cancellation" e-mails, who then replied, etc. This was no fault on the side of the IT Service desk as it is an )] TJ ET BT 61.016 562.486 Td /F4 9.0 Tf [(automatic process of the Jira logging software that IT uses to track its calls.)] TJ ET BT 61.016 542.497 Td /F4 9.0 Tf [(This is known as a)] TJ ET 0.373 0.169 0.255 rg BT 137.543 542.497 Td /F2 9.0 Tf [(mail storm)] TJ ET 0.373 0.169 0.255 RG 0.18 w 0 J [ ] 0 d 137.543 541.346 m 179.042 541.346 l S 0.153 0.153 0.153 rg BT 179.042 542.497 Td /F4 9.0 Tf [( in IT jargon when somebody replies to a single e-mail sent to a mailing list and inadvertently )] TJ ET BT 61.016 531.508 Td /F4 9.0 Tf [(replies with a personal message to the entire mailing list leading to a snowball effect or a )] TJ ET BT 415.670 531.508 Td /F2 9.0 Tf [(mail storm)] TJ ET BT 457.169 531.508 Td /F4 9.0 Tf [(. It is like a dog )] TJ ET BT 61.016 520.519 Td /F4 9.0 Tf [(chasing its own tail!)] TJ ET BT 61.016 500.530 Td /F4 9.0 Tf [(If you receive a mail with the subject line )] TJ ET BT 224.582 500.530 Td /F1 9.0 Tf [(")] TJ ET BT 228.848 500.530 Td /F4 9.0 Tf [(ICT-338035 FW: PLEASE SUPPORT STIAS - PLAN YOUR NEXT MEETING, )] TJ ET BT 61.016 489.541 Td /F4 9.0 Tf [(WORKSHOP AND OR CONFERENCE WITH US"  or "PLEASE SUPPORT STIAS - PLAN YOUR NEXT MEETING, )] TJ ET BT 61.016 478.552 Td /F4 9.0 Tf [(WORKSHOP AND OR CONFERENCE WITH US" just delete it. )] TJ ET BT 61.016 458.563 Td /F4 9.0 Tf [(If you want to take it further and set up a mail filter to delete all mails with that particular Subject, then you can do so. )] TJ ET BT 61.016 447.574 Td /F4 9.0 Tf [(However do not blacklist the sender or report it to the )] TJ ET 0.373 0.169 0.255 rg BT 274.613 447.574 Td /F4 9.0 Tf [(help@sun.ac.za)] TJ ET 0.18 w 0 J [ ] 0 d 274.613 446.423 m 339.278 446.423 l S 0.153 0.153 0.153 rg BT 339.278 447.574 Td /F4 9.0 Tf [( address or it will just perpetuate the spam, and you )] TJ ET BT 61.016 436.585 Td /F4 9.0 Tf [(could block legitimate e-mails from IT or the original sender.)] TJ ET BT 61.016 416.596 Td /F4 9.0 Tf [(Stay safe out there and thank you to everyone who flagged this email. It is encouraging when we have such observant )] TJ ET BT 61.016 405.607 Td /F4 9.0 Tf [(and enthusiastic users.)] TJ ET BT 432.949 385.618 Td /F4 9.0 Tf [([ARTICLE BY DAVID WILES])] TJ ET BT 61.016 365.629 Td /F4 9.0 Tf [( )] TJ ET 0.400 0.400 0.400 rg BT 61.016 347.140 Td /F2 9.0 Tf [(Posted in:E-mail,News,Security | | With 0 comments)] TJ ET endstream endobj 8 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F1 /BaseFont /Helvetica-Bold /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 9 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F2 /BaseFont /Helvetica-Oblique /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 10 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F3 /BaseFont /Helvetica-BoldOblique /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 11 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F4 /BaseFont /Helvetica /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 12 0 obj << /Type /Annot /Subtype /Link /A 13 0 R /Border [0 0 0] /H /I /Rect [ 135.0407 541.6642 137.5427 550.8217 ] >> endobj 13 0 obj << /Type /Action /S /URI /URI (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Email_storm) >> endobj 14 0 obj << /Type /Annot /Subtype /Link /A 15 0 R /Border [0 0 0] /H /I /Rect [ 137.5427 551.2879 137.5427 551.2879 ] >> endobj 15 0 obj << /Type /Action /S /URI /URI (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Email_storm) >> endobj 16 0 obj << /Type /Annot /Subtype /Link /A 17 0 R /Border [0 0 0] /H /I /Rect [ 137.5427 541.6642 179.0417 550.8217 ] >> endobj 17 0 obj << /Type /Action /S /URI /URI (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Email_storm) >> endobj 18 0 obj << /Type /Annot /Subtype /Link /A 19 0 R /Border [0 0 0] /H /I /Rect [ 274.6127 446.7412 339.2777 455.8987 ] >> endobj 19 0 obj << /Type /Action /S /URI /URI (mailto:help@sun.ac.za) >> endobj xref 0 20 0000000000 65535 f 0000000008 00000 n 0000000073 00000 n 0000000119 00000 n 0000000305 00000 n 0000000334 00000 n 0000000472 00000 n 0000000575 00000 n 0000004657 00000 n 0000004769 00000 n 0000004884 00000 n 0000005004 00000 n 0000005112 00000 n 0000005240 00000 n 0000005333 00000 n 0000005461 00000 n 0000005554 00000 n 0000005682 00000 n 0000005775 00000 n 0000005903 00000 n trailer << /Size 20 /Root 1 0 R /Info 5 0 R >> startxref 5976 %%EOF “PLEASE SUPPORT STIAS…” email causes a mail storm « Informasietegnologie
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“PLEASE SUPPORT STIAS…” email causes a mail storm

There is no reason to be worried or concerned about a mail that is being circulated with the subject line starting with “PLEASE SUPPORT STIAS…”

Although it is definitely spam (defined as unsolicited commercial e-mail) it does not appear have any dangerous content and was sent out by a university user to over 300 addresses one of which was the general IT Service Desk email address. Because it was sent to the address which automatically logs service requests the account automatically emailed all the recipients with “Cancellation” e-mails, who then replied, etc. This was no fault on the side of the IT Service desk as it is an automatic process of the Jira logging software that IT uses to track its calls.

This is known as a mail storm in IT jargon when somebody replies to a single e-mail sent to a mailing list and inadvertently replies with a personal message to the entire mailing list leading to a snowball effect or a mail storm. It is like a dog chasing its own tail!

If you receive a mail with the subject line ICT-338035 FW: PLEASE SUPPORT STIAS – PLAN YOUR NEXT MEETING, WORKSHOP AND OR CONFERENCE WITH US”  or “PLEASE SUPPORT STIAS – PLAN YOUR NEXT MEETING, WORKSHOP AND OR CONFERENCE WITH US” just delete it. 

If you want to take it further and set up a mail filter to delete all mails with that particular Subject, then you can do so. However do not blacklist the sender or report it to the help@sun.ac.za address or it will just perpetuate the spam, and you could block legitimate e-mails from IT or the original sender.

Stay safe out there and thank you to everyone who flagged this email. It is encouraging when we have such observant and enthusiastic users.

[ARTICLE BY DAVID WILES]

 

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