Hotmail Locks Down Outlook Access to Prevent Spam

Microsoft has decided to make the ability to download messages into Outlook or Outlook Express only available to paying customers in an effort to prevent spam. Spam is about profitability. This minor change in policy may have a measurable effect.

This functionality (technically known as Webdav) is often used by spammers to send out bulk email messages via hotmail. In the future Microsoft will charge $19.95 / year to enable access from Outlook. Presumably spammers will look elsewhere if they can't get a free, anonymous email account capable of sending spam from hotmail. Webdav also has legitimate uses, such as for sending email to users from web servers.

SpamButcher is a junk email blocker that works with all POP3 email accounts (this does not include Hotmail). SpamButcher can be used as an Outlook Express email filter, or stop spam e-mail when used with Outlook or any other standard POP3 email client.

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