McAfee begins spam experiment

Many of us have become used to simply clicking 'delete' when faced with the daily deluge of spam email.

But for 50 volunteers chosen by McAfee, that isn't going to be an option for the next 30 days. Their PCs will have all anti-spam protection removed and they will have to respond to each and every one of the unsolicited mails they receive.

McAfee began hunting for volunteers back in December last year, as Web User reported.

The aim of the project is to show how spam email is linked to cybercrime.

"Spam isn't just a nuisance. It's a tool used by cybercriminals to steal personal and business data," said Christopher Bolin, chief technology officer for McAfee.

Volunteers from 10 different countries will take part in the experiment, including Lesley Finlayson, a quality assurance officer from London. All the volunteers will blog about their experiences.

www.mcafeespamexperiment.com