Sendmail has taken a first stab at software to authenticate the source of e-mail messages, a technology that will be key to preventing the proliferation of spam. The company released a module for its Sendmail e-mail server software that attempts to verify the source of messages to help Internet users block mail from unwanted senders. . . .
Sendmail has taken a first stab at software to authenticate the source of e-mail messages, a technology that will be key to preventing the proliferation of spam.

The company released a module for its Sendmail e-mail server software that attempts to verify the source of messages to help Internet users block mail from unwanted senders. The technique is part of a developing Internet standard known as Sender ID.

"What authenticating does is allow you to rely on who sent the message," said David Anderson, CEO of Sendmail, a maker of e-mail software. "We believe people will stop filtering out bad messages based on bad content and instead allow good messages with good senders."

The majority of e-mail carried across the Internet uses the open-source Sendmail program, which runs on the Linux and Unix operating systems. The new module for the program allows e-mail administrators to modify their systems and add the authentication technology. The e-mail server will then forward messages with the necessary Sender ID information and authenticate incoming e-mail messages using the system.