The definition of spam is very subjective; many end-users define spam as unwanted email. This unwanted email may include legitimate advertisements the customer does not want to receive. This missed spam includes:

• Opt-in marketing mailings
• Business information mailings
• Newsletters
• Internet service provider end-user mailings. These email can confuse effectiveness and catch rate when you consider the performance of Symantec Mail Security solutions

Spam category definitions

·       Unsolicited bulk email (contains Unsolicited Commercial email)

Messages where the sender has no discernible relationship with the recipient. This type includes messages with forged (spoofed) headers. Symantec AntiSpam defines these messages as Spam. This type of message is constituted up to 70% of all messages.

·       Direct Marketing emails you do not want but have been solicited

Defined as email you subscribed to or received from legitimate companies. The category includes junk emails from legitimate direct marketers. It also includes bulk and the Personal junk (1/1 unsolicited mail) This type of email constitutes up to 15% of all messages.

·       Unwanted Newsletters

This category of email includes newsletters. You may not remember subscribing to or were not aware you subscribed. Also included are the newsletters that previous employees may have signed up for. These newsletters have now been transferred to the manager after departure from the corporation. This type of email constitutes up to 8% of all emails.

·       Unwanted account statement, confirmation messages, service update, or bills

These include statements from businesses you have a legitimate relationship with, even if you have requested not to receive the messages. This type of email constitutes up to 4% of all emails.

·       Hoaxes, urban legends, or jokes email sent by friends

Unwanted messages from personal acquaintances. This type of email constitutes up to 1% of all emails.

·       Spamming virus messages

Worms and other unwanted email borne threats. This type of email constitutes up to 1% of all emails.

·       Messages sent to you by mistake

Includes the messages you receive because your user name was used before. This type of email constitutes up to 1% of all emails.

The focus of the Symantec AntiSpam technology is to stop true spam messages. Symantec and other antispam vendors cannot guarantee the same effectiveness for every end user’s experience, since different users received different kinds and volumes of spam.