TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Maranatha's dedication to Customer service means that we strive to maintain an Internet Service that provides you with a professional and thoroughly enjoyable Internet experience.

This policy addresses frequently asked questions regarding proper online conduct and includes information on: Account Charges; the Content of the Online Material that you may find on or through the Service; purchasing Online Goods and Services through the Service; and how to report complaints regarding Illegal Use or System or Network Security issues.

The list of Prohibited Activities, are part of your subscriber agreement. If you restrict or inhibit any other subscribers' use or enjoyment of the Access Service by engaging in any of the activities prohibited below, Maranatha may suspend or terminate your account.

Use of Maranatha's Internet Service must be governed by all applicable laws and regulations, including all applicable local, state, national, international laws and regulations. In addition to other applicable laws, this includes all laws relating to copyright, trademark, obscenity, defamation, and the right of privacy, false advertising, and fraud.
 
I. Terms of Internet Access Agreement
 
 
1.  To make your use of the Service as enjoyable as possible, Maranatha requires its subscribers to abide by the policies described in Maranatha's Acceptable Use Policies. You agree to abide by these policies and agree that these policies are incorporated into this Agreement by reference. Current Account Charges, including billing methods, and rates for using the Service, may be found in Maranatha's Web site or may be obtained by calling Maranatha Customer Service at 1-866-355-8899. You agree that Maranatha may:

a.  Revise the terms and conditions of this Agreement;

b.  Revise its billing rates;

c.  Revise the services provided under this Agreement

at any time. Any such revisions will be binding and effective immediately on posting the revised Agreement on Maranatha's web site, or on notification to you by e-mail or U.S. mail.

2.  You agree to review the Agreement periodically to be aware of any such revisions. If any revision is unacceptable to you, you may terminate this Agreement at any time by providing Maranatha with written notice by U.S. mail or email to support@ifsis.com . Notice of your termination will be effective upon receipt by Maranatha.

3.  You agree that, by continuing to use the Service following notice of any revision to the Agreement, you accept any such revisions and agree to abide by any such changes.
 
II. Registration Information
 
 
1.  You agree to provide Maranatha with accurate, complete, and updated registration information. If you do not provide accurate registration information, your account may be terminated immediately.

2.  YOU AGREE THAT BY USING THE ACCESS SERVICE YOU REPRESENT THAT YOU ARE AT LEAST EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE AND THAT YOU ARE LEGALLY ABLE TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT.
 
III. Internet Access Service
 
 
1.  The Internet is not owned, operated, managed by, or in any way affiliated with Maranatha or any of Maranatha affiliates. The Internet is an international computer network of both Federal and non-Federal inter-operable packet switched data networks. Maranatha cannot and will not guarantee that the Access Service will provide Internet access that is sufficient to meet your needs at all times. You agree that your use of the Access Service and the Internet is solely at your own risk and is subject to all applicable local, state, national and international laws and regulations, and taxes.

2.  You agree that Maranatha retains the right, but not the obligation, to restrict or terminate your Access Service at any time, if Maranatha, in its sole discretion, determines that you are in violation of this Agreement. You agree that Maranatha will have no liability to you for any restriction or termination of your Access Service pursuant to such violation.
 
IV. Content of Communications
 
 
1.  The Service provides you access to information in many different formats, other material and services located both on Maranatha computer servers and on the Internet (Content). You agree that you must evaluate and bear the risks associated with the subject matter, accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any Content available to you on or through the Service.

2.  You agree that Maranatha has the right, but not the obligation, to remove Content from Maranatha computer servers, which Maranatha, at its sole discretion, determines to be in violation of this Agreement or Maranatha Policies.

3.  As a matter of policy, Maranatha does not pre-screen Content placed on Maranatha computer servers by any of its subscribers. Maranatha does not have the ability to monitor, review, or restrict, prior to its transmission, Content on Maranatha servers, which may violate this Agreement or Maranatha Policies. In addition, Maranatha cannot ensure the prompt editing or removal of any Content, which may violate this Agreement or Maranatha Policies after such Content has been posted on Maranatha servers.

4.  The Internet provides access to individuals who are not Maranatha subscribers. Maranatha does not have the capability to monitor, review, or restrict any Content made available by third parties on the Internet, nor to edit or remove any such Content after its posting on the Internet.

5.  Please be advised that, despite Maranatha's best efforts, you may receive Content, which you consider to be inaccurate, defamatory, or otherwise offensive. You agree that Maranatha will not be liable for any action or inaction with respect to any Content posted on or through the Service and the Internet.
 
V. Copyright and Other Rights
 
 
1.  The Service provides access to Content that is protected by copyrights, trademarks, intellectual property rights, and other proprietary rights (Rights) of independent third parties who make such Content available on or through the Service.

2.  You agree that your use of Content shall be governed by all applicable laws and regulations, and by the specific restrictions placed on such Content by the owners or licensors of the Rights in such Content.

3.  You agree not to post or transmit Content that is subject to another partys Rights, on or through the Service, without that party's express permission. Such posting or transmitting:

a.  Will result in termination of this Agreement, and;

b.  May result in civil or criminal liability.

4.  You agree to upload software files, message boards, or otherwise post or transmit on or through the Service, only such Content that is not subject to any Rights, unless you have received express authorization to distribute such Content on or through the Service by the holder of such Rights.

5.  You agree that by posting or transmitting Content to any public area (e.g. public chat rooms, message boards, software libraries) you automatically grant -- or warrant that the owner of such Content has expressly granted -- Maranatha the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive right and license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, perform and display such Content (in whole or part) worldwide and/or to incorporate it in other works in any form, media, or technology now known or later developed for the full term of any Rights that may exist in such Content.
 
VI. Service Software
 
 
1.  Your use of the Access Service gives you limited rights to use the software through which you access Maranatha Internet Access Service and the Internet. All rights of the software are subject to the terms and conditions of the trademark owner. You agree that your use of the Access Service provides you access to proprietary features of Maranatha Service and of software provided by Maranatha licensors.

2.  Maranatha and its software licensors have Rights in the Access Service, including but not limited to: software, software documentation, the look and feel of the Service, and other features.

3.  You agree not to copy, modify, adapt, reproduce, translate, distribute, reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble any aspect of the Service that is owned by Maranatha or its licensors.
 
VII. No Warranty
 
 
1.  You agree that your use of the Service, the Service Software, and the Internet is solely at your own risk. You agree that the Service and the Service Software is provided on an as is, as available basis without warranties of any kind, either express or implied.

2.  Maranatha disclaims any and all loss or liability resulting from, but not limited to:

a.  Loss of data;

b.  Loss of software or hardware;

c.  Loss or liability resulting from access delays or access interruptions;

d.  Loss or liability resulting from computer viruses;

e.  Loss or liability resulting from data non-delivery or data misdelivery;

f.  Any other loss or liability resulting from the negligent acts and/or omissions of Maranatha or Maranatha subscribers;

g.  Loss and liability resulting from any errors, omissions, or misstatements in any and all information, goods, or services obtained on or through the Access Service, and;

h.  Loss or liability resulting from acts of God.

3.  You agree that Maranatha's entire liability, and your exclusive remedy, with respect to your use of the Service, your use of the Service Software, and any breach of this Agreement is solely limited to the amount you paid to use the Service. Because some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages, in such states, Maranatha liability is limited to the extent permitted by law.
 
VIII. Indemnification
 
 
1.  You agree to defend, release, indemnify, and hold Maranatha, its affiliated companies and licensors, harmless from all liabilities, claims and expenses, including without limitation reasonable attorneys fees, arising from breach of the Agreement by use of, or in connection with the posting or transmission of any content by or through your account on the Service.

2.  You agree that Maranatha has the right, but not the obligation, at its own expense, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter otherwise subject to indemnification by you pursuant to Paragraph 1 of this section. In such event, you shall have no further obligations pursuant to Paragraph 1 of this section.

 
IX. Termination
 
 
1.  You agree that you or Maranatha may terminate this Agreement for any reason at any time.

2.  You agree that your only right with respect to any dissatisfaction with any:

a.  Agreement term, policy, or practice of Maranatha in operating the Service;

b.  Content available on or through the Service or change therein; or

c.  Amount or type of fees or billing methods, or change therein, is to terminate this Agreement as set forth in Paragraph 1.

3.  You agree that Maranatha has the right, but not the obligation, to delete all program, data, or other files on Maranatha computer servers that are associated with your account at the time of termination.

X. Law
 
 
1.  You agree that this Agreement and Maranatha Policies comprise the entire understanding between Maranatha and you, and supersede any prior agreements between you and Maranatha with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement.

2.  You agree that, if any portion of this Agreement or Maranatha Policies is held invalid or unenforceable, that portion will be construed consistent with applicable law as nearly as possible to reflect the original intentions of the parties, and the remaining portions will remain in full force and effect. The laws of the State of Maryland, excluding its conflicts of law rules, will govern the Agreement. You and Maranatha each submit to the exclusive subject matter jurisdiction, personal jurisdiction, and venue of the courts of the State of Maryland.

 
XI. Prohibited Activities
 
 
 
1.  For purposes of the Prohibited Activities, the term information means material of any type capable of being posted or transmitted on or through the Service, including material in print, graphic or pictorial form.

When using the Access Service:

a.  Defamation.  You agree not to post or transmit on or through the Service any information that is defamatory with respect to a person, business, or other entity, product, or service.

b.  Fraud.  You agree not to post or transmit any fraudulent information on or through the Service. This means any information that you know or have reason to know is false, and that you intend for others to rely on.

c.  False Advertising.  You agree not to post or transmit on or through the Service any advertising or promotional materials that contain false, deceptive, or misleading statements, claims, or representations.

d.  Unsolicited Bulk Email.  You agree not to use your Maranatha Internet account for the purpose of transmitting Unsolicited Advertisements or any other form of bulk email. Any violations of this provision of Maranatha's agreement will result in immediate termination of this agreement without warning of any kind. In addition, you agree to pay Maranatha a $500.00 termination fee to cover Maranatha?s administrative costs incurred in terminating your service. Payment is due within five (5) business days following the termination of this agreement.

e.  Copyright Violations. You agree not to post or transmit on or through the Service any information that infringes another person's or entity's copyright in all or any part of the information.

f.  Trademark, Service Mark, and Trade Dress Violations. You agree not to post or transmit on or through the Service any information that infringes another person's rights in its trademark, trade dress, or service mark.

g.  Trade Secret Violations. You agree not to post or transmit on or through the Service any information that reveals trade secrets belonging to another person, business, service, or other entity.

h.  Obscenity. You agree not to post or transmit any offensive or sexually explicit images or other content on or through the Service.

i.  Harassment, Threats, and Abuse. You agree not to use the Service to harass, threaten, abuse, embarrass, or cause distress, unwanted attention, or discomfort to any person or entity, by any means, including the use of vulgar, hateful, racially, ethnically, or otherwise objectionable information.

j.  False Pretenses. You agree to not use the Service to impersonate any person, including but not limited to, an Maranatha official or an information provider, guide, or host, or communicate under a false name or a name that you are not entitled or authorized to use in all forms of online communication, including, but not limited to, screen names, subscriber profiles, chat dialogue, and message posting.

k.  Chain Letters.  You agree to not post or transmit chain letters, or letters or messages that offer a product or service based on the structure of a chain letter, on or through the Service.

l.  Inappropriate Content. You agree not to post or transmit on or through the Service information that is patently inappropriate material, e.g., information or topics not related to the topics focused on by the participants in a particular news group or mailing list.

m.  Scrolling. You agree not to cause the screen to scroll faster than other Subscribers or users are able to type to it, or any action to a similar disruptive effect on or through the Service.

n.  Disruptive Activities. You agree not to use the Service to disrupt the normal flow of online dialogue, or otherwise act in a manner that negatively affects other Subscribers, users, individuals, or entities.

o.  Violations of Service Providers' Rules. You agree to not use the Service to violate any operating rule, policy, or guideline of any other online service provider or interactive service.

p.  Multiple Access.  You agree that this Agreement is not transferable. You agree not to simultaneously access the Service for more than one session at any time unless you are subscribed to a service with this explicit feature.

q.  Abuse of Maranatha Procedures.  You agree not to make false or unverified complaints against any Maranatha subscriber, or otherwise abuse any of Maranatha Customer Service Procedures.

r.  Systems Abuse.  You agree not to abuse the Maranatha system by causing any harm to the system so that it inhibits other users ability to effectively use the system.

s.  SPAM. You agree not to post or cross post, regardless of content, of the same message to 50 or more newsgroups or email recipients.
 
 

XII. Privacy of Communications
 
 
 
1.  Maranatha intends to respect its Subscribers' privacy and will not randomly monitor or disclose the contents of private e-mail or private chat room communications. However, you agree that Maranatha has the right, but not the obligation, to monitor or disclose the contents of private communication, if Maranatha, at its sole discretion, reasonably believes that such action is necessary:

a.  To comply with applicable law or valid legal process;

b.  To protect Maranatha rights or property; or

c.  In emergencies when a person's physical safety is at issue.

 
XIII. Online Goods and Services
 
 
 
1.  Maranatha does not control, provide, operate, or take responsibility for any Content, goods, or services available on or through the Service. You may receive blind opportunity advertisements, pyramid schemes, and other get rich quick schemes on or through the Service. These should be avoided or approached with ample skepticism.

2.  All such Content, goods, and services are made available by independent third parties and are not part of Maranatha or controlled by Maranatha. Please remember that NetWorld does not endorse, warrant, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, usefulness, quality, or availability of any Content, goods, or services available on or through the Service, and your use thereof is solely at your own risk.

3.  You should use your best judgment and exercise caution when purchasing a product through the Service. Maranatha will not be a party to, or in any way be responsible for, monitoring any purchases or other transactions between you and any other persons providing Content, goods, or services on or through the Service. Maranatha assumes no responsibility for any such transactions and will not mediate disputes relating to such transactions. Maranatha disclaims any responsibility for any such transactions even where the Service features or displays a link with a particular World Wide Web site.

4.  By using the Service you agree that neither Maranatha nor its affiliates shall be held responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any loss, liability of any nature, or damage caused, or alleged to have been caused by your use of, or reliance on, any Content, goods, or services available on or through the Service.
 
 

XIV. Charges and Billing
 
 
 
1.  You agree to pay all charges for your use of Maranatha at the prices then in effect including any charges for optional, installation and premium services (e.g. DSL service, ISDN service, Satellite, billable metered access,etc. where available) Certain services may require the payment of additional fees (including, without limitation, set-up, repair, additional equipment, upgrade, transfer and relocation) and you agree to pay such fees at the prices then in effect as specified for such service to Maranatha. All Maranatha charges are exclusive of sales or other taxes. Maranatha charges, if applicable, will be subject to sales or other taxes. Maranatha reserves the right to modify or terminate subscription plans, change prices, or institute new charges at any time. You may terminate your subscription by notifying Maranatha in writing via email or postal mail. No refunds will be provided for unused service periods nor for retroactive cancellation. You may discontinue service via U.S. mail to: IFSIS, 10101 Johns Drive, Damascus, MD, 20872-0535 or by sending email to billing@ifsis.com, however, you are responsible for all charges submitted prior to the termination of your service whether by you or by Maranatha.

2.  It is possible the Maranatha access number you program your modem to use to connect to Maranatha may be a telephone number that results in additional or long distance charges being billed to you by a third party, even if such number was presented by Maranatha as an appropriate access number for your area. It is your responsibility to contact your telephone company to determine whether the access numbers you use are subject to additional charges. You agree to pay any charges you incur by using a long distance telephone number to connect to Maranatha. Maranatha will not reimburse you for any charges incurred by you as a result of selecting an access number that is subject to additional and/or long distance charges.

3.  All periodic charges (monthly, quarterly, annually and so forth) are payable in advance. However, Maranatha has a no refund policy. If you terminate your account, no refund will be provided. You are responsible for all activities and charges associated with your account. The first month service fee is due upon account setup. Each month (or other billing period selected), on the date of the anniversary date, the account will be charged the access fee and any other fees for the new billing period plus any accumulated charges for the past billing period. Failure to use this account (s) does not relieve you of payment obligations.

4.  If any unauthorized charges are made on or through your account, you are responsible for such charges until you notify Maranatha of a breach of security by calling Maranatha at 1-866-355-8899 during regular business hours and change your passwords.

5.  A billing cycle will begin on the date you set up your service and will continue for one month (or other billing period selected) from that date.

6.  If you pay by credit card, you expressly authorize Maranatha to bill such card on each successive billing date without obtaining additional permission after the initial charge. Credit card users shall notify Maranatha of any changes in credit card number or expiration date. This authorization will remain valid until you terminate your authorization in writing.

7.  If you pay other than by credit card, your account charges are due and payable prior to activation. Your service with Maranatha is a prepaid service. Your account will be considered to be in default if payment of your account charges is not received by the due date. Invoices are generated 21 days in advance of your due date. Accounts in default may have service interrupted or may be terminated. If your account is in default 15 days you are subject to a late payment fee of $2.50 or a service charge of 1.50 percent, which ever is greater. If you default on your account you agree to pay Maranatha its reasonable expenses, including attorneys fees and collection agency fees incurred in enforcing Maranatha's rights under Maranatha's Acceptable Use Policy.

8.  Maranatha may immediately terminate your account, at its sole discretion, for declined credit cards, returned checks, or any other non-payment of account charges. If any instrument received in payment is returned to Maranatha unpaid, your account will be considered to be in default, and in addition to the amount due, you will be subject to a returned check charge of $30.00. If your account is cancelled or interrupted for non-payment, you must continue to pay your monthly account charges. Only your written request to terminate your account will relieve you of your obligation to pay your monthly account charges.

9.  You agree that Maranatha may submit charges for your use of connect time in excess of that provided as part of the Maranatha subscription plan you select without further authorization from you until you provide prior notice that you are terminating this authorization or wish to change your Maranatha subscription plan. Such notice will not affect charges submitted before Maranatha reasonably could act on your notice.

10.  You must promptly notify Maranatha of changes to your credit card number, status or expiration date and your billing address.

11.  Maranatha will use reasonable commercial efforts to provide you with an online statement of charges. However, any failure of Maranatha to provide you with an online statement of charges does not affect your responsibility to pay any incurred charges.  Unless you notify Maranatha of any errors or discrepancies in any billing within sixty (60) days after they first appear on your account statement, they will be deemed accepted by you for all purposes, including resolution of inquiries made by the credit card company.
 
 
 
WITHOUT LIMITING ANYTHING ELSE IN THIS AGREEMENT, YOU RELEASE Maranatha FROM ANY AND ALL LIABILITY AND CLAIMS OF LOSS RESULTING FROM ANY ERROR OR DISCREPANCY THAT IS NOT REPORTED TO Maranatha WITHIN SIXTY (60) DAYS OF ITS PUBLICATION DATE.

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PRIVACY POLICY

At Maranatha we are committed to protecting the privacy and security of our customers' personal information and ensuring its accuracy.We collect and maintain information about you to enable us to protect the security of your account(s), conduct our business in a manner consistent with federal and state regulations, and provide you with offers and information on products and services to meet your needs and satisfy legal requirements.

This Corporate Privacy Policy describes how Maranatha collects and uses your personal information and how we maintain its confidentiality and accuracy.

How We Obtain Personal Customer Information: This policy principally governs how Maranatha uses non-public personal customer information. Non-public personal information is defined in applicable law and generally means financial information that is identified with you that is not obtainable from a public source. We obtain personal customer information primarily from when you open an account with us, submit a credit or account application, or provide information to us over the phone or via our Website.We may also obtain such information from other sources, such as credit reporting agencies or references. We also maintain personal customer information resulting from your experience and transactions with us.

In the conduct of our business, we collect and maintain various types of information about our customers, including:

·Identification information, such as account number, password, address, phone number and PIN code.

·Information regarding your creditworthiness, that you provide us when applying for an account (Business accounts only).

·Account activity information, such as balances and transaction history.

How We Use Your Personal Information:We use your personal information only for legitimate business purposes in a manner consistent with business practices and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The following summarizes the principal ways in which Maranatha uses such information:

·To protect the security of your account.  As an example, we use your personal information for identification purposes to prevent unauthorized people from accessing your account.

·To conduct our business in a safe and sound manner.  For example, we use information gathered in applications to insure we operate in a prudent manner consistent with the requirements of Federal regulations.

·To satisfy legal requirements. For example, we use your Social Security or EIN number for federal income tax reporting purposes.

Sharing Personal Information with Unaffiliated Third Parties:At times we disclose your personal information to companies or entities that are not affiliated with Maranatha, such as in the following circumstances:

·Third Party Services We may provide your personal information, on a confidential basis, to companies that provide services to Maranatha.  For example, to a data processing company that provides us with account or billing maintenance and statement printing services, companies that assist us in collecting payments or marketing companies that market Maranatha products and services on our behalf.All third party service providers agree to maintain the confidentiality of any information that is shared, and to use the information only for the specific purposes identified in the agreement between Maranatha and the third party.

·Joint Marketing Programs We may share your personal information with another organization with which we establish a joint marketing relationship.For example, we may enter into a joint marketing agreement with a financial institution that will enable you to obtain services that are not available from Maranatha, such as credit cards.

·Legal Requirements We are sometimes required to disclose your personal information in order to comply with subpoenas, court orders, and legal reporting requirements, such as payment reporting to the IRS.

·Credit Reporting Agencies We may disclose information relating to our experience with you to credit reporting agencies or similar organizations.

·Written Consent We may disclose your personal information with your written consent, including when you give someone power of attorney or other authorization to act on your behalf.

·Business Transfers We may disclose your personal information in connection with a transfer of accounts or a line of business to another company.

·Fraud and Unauthorized Transactions We may disclose personal information to protect Maranatha and your account against fraud and unauthorized transactions; to comply with credit card company rules and regulations; to resolve customer disputes; and as necessary, to Maranatha's regulators, attorneys, accountants and auditors.

·Regulators/Auditors/Consultants Maranatha regularly hires independent auditors to analyze our operations, and regulatory agencies examine Maranatha's records as required by law. As we design or improve our products or services, Maranatha may also hire consultants to provide us with technical expertise. Your personal information may be shared with auditors, bank examiners, or consultants strictly on a confidential basis.

·Account Number/Access Code - In no event will Maranatha share your account number or access code with an unaffiliated third party for any marketing purpose without your authorization.

·Website For customers and applicants using Maranatha's Website, all visitor information is collected along with any information that you volunteer while using our Website.

·Links to or from Maranatha's Website Maranatha is not responsible for information practices employed by Websites linked with our Website.Generally, links to non-Maranatha Websites are provided solely as pointers to information on topics that may be useful to users of Maranatha's Website.

·Encrypted Information All appropriate information provided on Maranatha's Website is encrypted or scrambled in order to secure information.

Protecting Personal Information From Unauthorized Access Maranatha maintains systems, policies and procedures to protect your personal information from being accessed by unauthorized people.We limit employee access to personal customer information to those with a legitimate business reasons for such access.We train our employees and authorized vendors in our Privacy Policy and Procedures; each employee is required to acknowledge receipt and understanding of our Privacy Policy and Procedures and is held accountable for adhering to them.

Accuracy of Customer Information We know it is imperative that the information we maintain about your account with us is as accurate as possible.We maintain internal controls to help ensure the accuracy of such information.If you believe that any such information is inaccurate or incomplete, please contact us and we will take appropriate action to correct or amend our records if we determine that they are inaccurate.

Policy Updates? This privacy policy may change from time to time.You may obtain the most current copy of this privacy policy by calling us or visit our Website at www.maranatha.net or by calling 1-866-355-8899.

SPAM

This page is to inform both our customers and the general public what is being done to combat the growing issue of spam emanating from wholesale suppliers in the wake of the enormous growth of our business. If you have a need to report a spammer, please do so by sending as much detailed information about the offender as possible to the following address:

Email Spam info to: support@ifsis.com

Our staff will take your complaints very seriously and do all they are able to in any way to eliminate the originator of the UCE violation.

Introduction

Spam is a problem that is beginning to have a serious impact on the continued success of the Maranatha service and our customers. Due to the overwhelming growth of the Wholesale Dial-up market there has been an unfortunate expansion of spam originating from these Wholesale Dial-up ports. With hundreds of ISPs utilizing the Wholesale services to expand their national footprint, the likelihood of a spammer signing up with an ISP using the Wholesale services is rapidly increasing.

Background

The way spam is typically sent has continually evolved as new ways to combat and block it have been developed. The current trend in sending spam employs software that runs over a dial-up connection and connects directly to the mail port of the target. This is the hardest to block because it doesn't pass through any "mail relay" servers, on which anti-spam filters could be employed. The target has difficulty in stopping the attack without also blocking other legitimate mail from coming through. Once a spammer is identified, the account can be quickly identified and terminated.

However, due to the success of the internet and the ISP market, many accounts can be obtained on a trial basis for little or no money, accounts can be activated over the phone with falsified information, and other tricks can be used to gain a "throw-away" account. ISPs can combat the proliferation of spam accounts, but due to market pressures, most do not scrutinize each account to ensure that it is not going to be used to spam. The further a company is from dealing with the individual end-users, the harder it becomes to scrutinize new accounts. It is not realistic to expect this of every ISP, and even when such monitoring is done, it cannot completely prevent this type of spam from being sent. Careful monitoring merely stops spammers from being able to spam with free accounts. Some would argue that once spammers are hit in the wallet, they would mend their ways and move on to something else. That is not likely to occur.

This is the issue facing Maranatha today. There are too many spammers using too many "throw-away" accounts to continue to attempt to combat the problem. Therefore, we have implemented a proactive solution that helps to resolve this problem.

The Problem Defined

Mail uses TCP port 25 for sending and receiving mail between servers. Spam software either connects directly to TCP port 25 on the mail servers being targeted, or routes its mail though Open-Relay servers (mass email marketers call these "email friendly off-shore servers"). Because it connects either directly or indirectly in this fashion it is extremely difficult for the target server to block the incoming spam.

The Solution

Blocking port 25 is extremely easy to do, but one problem with blocking port 25 is that once done, legitimate users can no longer send email because they cannot connect back to their ISP's mail server. Maintaining a single filter to allow access back to each Wholesale customer's mail servers is not a scalable solution. Assuming that each ISP has a minimum of two mail servers, and factoring in the fact that there are already thousands of ISPs, there could be several thousand lines in the access list. Add in the fact that some ISP's have more than two mail servers, and that some Wholesale customers are in turn reselling the Wholesale service to yet more ISPs, and you suddenly have an extremely long and complex filter, a filter that has to be updated every time an ISP is added to the various Wholesale services, leaves the services, or has to change its server's IPs. This is not a viable option.

Our solution is to apply global filters to our mail servers. Global filters are able to read the headers of incoming mail, and decide whether or not that mail contains enough criteria to warrant rejecting the message or not. Filters can be based on the name or IP address of the server connecting, the email address of the sender, the email address of the receiver, what is contained in the subject line, the contents of the body of the message or any combination of the above.

Filtering has been extremely successful in blocking quite a bit of spam, but it is not enough. Spam continues to come from Open-Relay servers, and once identified, are blocked at our router and can no longer enter our network. The vast majorities of these servers do not have a reverse DNS entry and are easily identifiable. Maranatha also uses an RBL (Real Time Black List) that blocks known Open Relay servers.

Maranatha wants to work with all of our customers to make this process as comprehensive to the end-users as can be. We welcome any feedback that you may have regarding this solution. Please contact us at support@ifsis.com with any questions or comments you may have.