Spam could kill mobile advertising says Cloudmark

THERE'S A definite possibility that spam could stop the fledgling mobile advertising sector dead in its tracks, according to spam killer, Cloudmark. It also reckons that flat rate data tariffs are making mobile phones attractive targets for spammers.

Cloudmark believes that currently attacking mobile phones is too expensive an option for spammers because they would have to pay to send thousands of text (SMS) or picture (MMS) messages.

However, mobile network operators in Europe are gradually migrating to offering their subscribers 'all-you-can-eat' (flat rate) data tariffs. So there's a finite cost for almost endless connectivity to the mobile internet.

The company claims that spammers have already made an appearance in the mobile sector in parts of Asia. Not only do Asian subscribers get unlimited data tariffs but in many cases (ie with imode) their phone number translates directly in a standard email address.

Naturally Cloudmark reckons that it can help. Its technology detects patterns with messages rather than looking directly at the text itself. It can even detect patterns within message images, which means it will be highly useful in detecting spam MMS/picture messages.

The catch is that the mobile network operators work in a different way from the fixed Internet companies that Cloudmark is used to protecting.

So Cloudmark has formed alliances with vendors of mobile messaging servers such as Anam and Adaptive Mobile. This will give it an entrée into the world of mobile network operators.

Cloudmark CEO, Hugh McCartney, thinks the mobile industry is currently in the throes of a dilemma. If it announces that handsets are just as vulnerable to phishing, spam and viruses as PCs, then subscribers may panic and grow wary of the mobile Internet.

Just when the operators are trying to build up revenues from mobile advertising.

On the other hand, if they don't act and declare that their network are actively filtering out mobile spam then they could start losing valuable customers to networks who do claim to stop spam.

So it'll be interesting to see who breaks first and admits there is a genuine problem. µ

L'INQ
Cloudmark