Spam, or unwanted email, is often seen as a nuisance rather than a threat but the reverse can be the case. Spam can fill your inbox rapidly, tie up your servers and desktops processing needless data and sometimes the spam carries un unwanted payload of Trojans or viruses.

There are many anti-spam programmes available and while these can cut down the amount of spam received they cannot stop it altogether. Any system that will block 100% of spam will also block good email so there is a trade off to be considered.
Anti-spam systems should always be accompanied by good anti virus measures. These anti spam and anti virus programmes also nee to be kept up to date, otherwise they soon become relatively useless.

The one thing you should never do is to respond, even in anger, to spam; to do so will result in even more spam because responding simply proves that your email address exists and will certainly be sold on to another spammer.

Eventually Governments will act against spammers but until that happens the byword is vigilance.