Search

Loading

Newsletters



Sign up for technology and financial newsletters

Browse by Topic

The Cost of Spam False Positives

Comment on this (0 comments) Aug 14, 2003
David Ferris

Download Files:
Report - The Cost of Spam False Positives

It’s damaging when bona fide email is incorrectly identified as spam. This paper identifies the major costs involved, emphasizing the quantitative side. Understanding the cost of false positives is helpful when evaluating anti-spam solutions.

Table of Contents

Summary
Background
The Cost Model
  Model Overview
  User Time Checking Quarantine Email
  User Time Retrieving False Positives
  User Time Managing Custom Filters
  Administrator Time Updating Custom Filters
  Administrator Time Searching and Retrieving for Users
  Administrator Time Monitoring and Reporting
Observations and Conculsions
  Likely Range of Costs
  Comparing Cost of False Positives With Cost of Spam
  Cost of False Positives Can Be Reduced
  Administrative-Only Model Not Viable in Long Term
  Impact for Service Providers

Important Questions Answered by This Report:

  • What is the cost of spam false positives for a typical user?
  • What are the major components of spam false-positive costs?
  • What causes spam false-postive costs to increase? What can be done to lower them?
  • What is the larger problem? The cost of spam or the cost of false positives?
  • What is the overall cost of spam false postives to US business?

Leave a Reply