Flaw In Gmail Can Turn It To A Spam Server

There’s trouble in Google land. A recent report revealed that its email service Gmail could be used as a spam server due to a security flaw.

A recently-discovered flaw in Gmail is capable of turning Google’s e-mail service into a highly effective spam machine. According to the Information Security Research Team (INSERT), Gmail is susceptible to a man-in-the-middle attack that allows a spammer to send thousands of bulk e-mails through Google’s SMTP service without fear of detection. This attack bypasses both Google’s identity fraud protection mechanisms and the current 500-address limit on bulk e-mail.

In my experience, having an Exchange server act as an open relay is still a common occurrence, especially in SOHO and SMB offices. Since these organizations are small scale, everyone multi-tasks, making the company accountant take on the second role of IT administrator.

It’s almost certain that Google will address the issue and fix the flaw. The question is when. After all, with the flaw revealed, it’s only a matter of time before some opportunistic spammer takes advantage of the situation.

Source: Slashdot

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