Topic awaiting preservation: "ascii art" in spam messages (Page 1 of 1) $Pages that link to <a href="https://ozoneasylum.com/backlink?for=25326" title="Pages that link to Topic awaiting preservation: &quot;ascii art&quot; in spam messages (Page 1 of 1)" rel="nofollow" >Topic awaiting preservation: "ascii art" in spam messages <span class="small">(Page 1 of 1)</span>\$

poi Paranoid (IV) Inmate From: France Insane since: Jun 2002	posted 03-24-2005 11:54 I felt on L'Ascii Art : une technique de spam "nouvelle génération". The article is in French, but actually you miss nothing, the essence of the article lies in the image I've never seen such spam, but hardly see how they could rank "safe mail" through any spam analyzer if the sender is not in your white-list. Well I guess it shows one more time that the spam business is so huuuge that they don't mind to see their lovely messages blocked by a majority of analyzers.
hyperbole Paranoid (IV) Inmate From: Madison, Indiana, USA Insane since: Aug 2000	posted 03-24-2005 18:42 For a couple of weeks (about a month ago) I was getting spam with the words spelled down the page. Each one contained the words "read down" so it was easy to filter. . -- not necessarily stoned... just beautiful.
GRUMBLE Paranoid (IV) Mad Scientist From: Omicron Persei 8 Insane since: Oct 2000	posted 03-24-2005 18:42 this 0wnz code: ____ __ __ ___ / \| \| \ \| \| \|\ /\| \| \ \| \| \| __ \| / \| \| \| \ / \| \| / \| \|__ \| \|\| \ \| \| \| \/ \| \| \ \| \| \__/ \| \| \_/ \| \| \|__/ \|___ \|___ (Edited by GRUMBLE on 03-24-2005 18:43)
CPrompt Maniac (V) Inmate From: there...no..there..... Insane since: May 2001	posted 03-24-2005 19:31 code: ccccccc pppppppp rrrrrrr ooooooooo mmmmmmmmmmm pppppppp ttttttttttt cc pp pp rr rr oo oo mm mm mm pp pp ttttttttttt cc pppppppp rr oo oo mm mm mm pppppppp tt cc pp rr oo oo mm mm pp tt ccccccc pp rr ooooooooo mm mm pp tt had to join in the fun. Later, C:\ (Edited by CPrompt on 03-24-2005 19:32)
Iron Wallaby Paranoid (IV) Inmate From: USA Insane since: May 2004	posted 03-24-2005 20:37 code: foo: s$$s $$$$$$ $$$$$$ ,s s, ^$$^ s: $s ,,s$$ $$ '$$ ,,,,ss$$$$S' :$$ $$: $$$$$$$$$$$$^ $$$: s ,$$$ ''^$$$$$$$: $$$$ s$, $$$$ :$$$$$$ $$$$$, ,$$$s, ,s$$$$' $$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$' $$$$$$ ^$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$^ $$$$$$s, '^$$$^''^^$$$$^ s$$$$$$$$ss- ,s$S^^''' ,$^'' '' Amusing thing that they're doing that. Clever way of circumventing keyword spamfilters, certainly. --- "Consider a simple room with only four walls, a ceiling and a floor. Can you see it in your mind?s eye? You better not be able to; I haven?t specified a light source yet." - Paul Nettle (Edited by Iron Wallaby on 03-24-2005 20:39)
warjournal Maniac (V) Mad Scientist From: Insane since: Aug 2000	posted 03-24-2005 23:04 quote: Clever way of circumventing keyword spamfilters, certainly. What about using a bunch of spaces as a keyword? Would that work for the average e-mail? Would that cause problems with various flavors of e-mail and code? (Edited by warjournal on 03-24-2005 23:05)
Nada`King Nervous Wreck (II) Inmate From: Insane since: Mar 2005	posted 03-26-2005 22:31 Perhaps there can be an interpreter of sorts added to spam filters. Instead of trying to pull just spaces or other such things, it can recognize certain patterns in character arrangement (curves, crosses, etc) and from there produce a temporary file with an actual message. It would be quite easy to recognize simple linear patters (slanted lines, vertical lines, horizontal lines) and produce an "image" of the message, one which could be evaluated just as we can evaluate letters in images today. I'd imagine it easier to look for mathematical patterns amongst character arrangement rather than seek meaning out of bunches of individual character placements. If you wanted to get really good at it, you could measure the darkness (pixel density?) of a character to see if it has a certain shading property in relation to the characters around it, and then try to plot it in a linear fashion. It could even produce two virtual images of the message (one inverted) and see if either warrants a trip to the trashcan. The simple point is: The spam filter should zoom-out on the message and try to recognize patterns just as any program looking for words in images would. (Edited by Nada`King on 03-26-2005 22:32)
Arthemis Paranoid (IV) Inmate From: Milky Way Insane since: Nov 2001	posted 03-27-2005 07:31 code: 0U%...........+YUD%+.......AA +D0+...........2UD%........+M 2DD%...........%UU%........+2M 2#D%..........+$DU2.........2#2 2#2%..........+YAAY+........%AA 2222222 +2222+ AA2+...........YU0$+........+YM AA#######AA 2AQ####QA2 AD%+............%$%.........+YM A#QQQHHHHHHQQ#AAQQQQQQUAAUQQ2 2+.......................+$2#2 A#QQHUUDDDDDDUUHMNHHHHH#ADDDDUQQ2 +.......................%0AA MQQ##DDDDDDDDDDDDMH####HHUDDDDDAU#A2+ ......................%0A2 2HQQ##DDDDDDDUNNNNMMH#####HQDDDDDDDAQHH#D+ ....................%0A2 2HQ##DDDDDDDDM######MH#####H#ADDDDDDDDUQADU#2 ..................%0A2 2H##DDDDDDDDDM##HHHHHMNH#Q#HHNQDDDDDDDDDUQADDD#2 ................%Y0Y+ +2MQUDDDDDDDDD#MQUADDDA#Q02220A#QDDDDDDDDDDQQDDDDU02 ..............+20Y+ +D#UDDDDDDDDDD##AY222Y22Y22222220QUDDDDDDDDDAQUDDDDDUA .............%0A2 +YAADDDDDDDDDDD#AY222$$2$$$$$222222AQADDDDDDDDDQQDDDDDDUA ............%DD+ 2UADDDDDDDDDDDD#U2$%$%.......+%$22222UQDDDDDDDDDU##DDDDDDUA ...........+0D+ 0QDDDDDDDDDDDDD#U2$..............+2Y220QQADDDDDDDA#MDDDDDDDM 2 ...........%U0 2UADDDDDDDDDDDDD#U2%.................+%220##UADDDAAU#MDDDDDDDDM AAAD02 ...........D0 +DUDDDDDDDDDDDDDU#22%..................+$22A#QUUUUUUUUUMDDDDDDDM 22#Y$++.. ..........%U0 +DUDDDDDDDDDDDDDM02222$+................+$222YQ#UUUUUUUUMDDDDDDDH2 22#Q2%+...... ..........D0 0QDDDDDDDDDDDDU#0DD#QQQQ#D0............$0U#QQ#Q#HQUUUUUUMDDDDDDDUM#Q2%+.......... ..........D0 0#ADDDDDDDDDDDU#2Q02$$$+......................+%2YU#QUUUUHUDDDDDAUM$+............. ..........D0 +A#ADDDDDDDDDDU#Y22$%+..........................++$20UQ#QUUMAAAAAUUM+.........++%2D ..........2A2 0#UUADDDDDDDDU#Y222+...$YY%................+$Y2+..+$220AQH##HUUUUUUM.......+%$DDDD0 +.........+A0 0#UUUAADDDDDDMY22222YYYDQA0................$DUA0YYY22222UMUHN#UUUUUM...++%0DDDD2222 $+.....%%..2AA20#UUUUUUAADU#U02220#MMMMM#QY+............+$DQHMMMMHUY22YAUDM#MUUUUUM+%2QQ#AD2222222 #Y$+...%D0++AU0Q#UUUUUUUUU#MDM2Q#MMMMMUD0YYY............$YYY0A#MMMMH#DUQDDM#MUUUUUMADD2222%++++... 2#Y$%+.2UA22UU2A#UUUUUUU#HH#M#2YDDD2%+..........$%..........++%2Y002AHH#H###MUUUU##2%+++......... AAAD02$AUD0AU##UUUUUUU#H###MY222+............$Y$...............+$2UH#######MUUUUHA............. 2AA2 2AA#M#UUUUUU#H####M222..........++......+++..........+$UH########MUUUUUM%............ 0#Q##QQ#HNH###NU22+.........+QD00000U0+.........+%0#H####HH#QQQ##UUHA+........... 0MHA2%%222Y0M###NUY2+...........................+$D#H####M0222$+$Y##UM2..........+ 0#0$+$0AADDD#HH##HQA2%+........+%$%+..........+%YU###HHHH#DDDAD2%+2AH##+....++%200 +YDY%$0UAY$222YDAN##NN#A0$+.......+%%+.......+%20UHNH##H#ADY222$DUA2%%AQM2YY00YY0Y2+ +DA$+2UAY%%0AADDDDQQHMUUUUUD0$%+...........+%20AUD0D#H##QUDDDDAA$+$DUA.%2##2222 0U$+.DU%+$AQ0$$$222YMMDDDDDUU#QY$+......+%2DQQAY$+++0#NU2222$$2U#Y++2M..+YM 0QY%+++.0Q0%+20#UD0DDU###DDDDDDUUU#QQQQ#QA02%++%2DUDAQAD00AU#0++2U#..$.+$0M 0#Q#UY%+.YY+.$QMY$+$20#U%2DU#DDDDDDDDY2$%++.+%2AQAY$+YQUY2%%$YM0..+U..+$0#M 0#UU##D2%+...DQ0++$2#MD%..+$YQ#UUD2+.....+$YAQQD2%+..+2QHA$%++0M....+$YUHUM 2QQUUU##D$+..$$++22220#U.............................YQUY2222++Y...%YUHUU#A 2AQ#H00U$.....2222222M.............................DU2222222.....YM M#A 0D...+$222222YM.............................DU2222222$....M +2222+ +D0...%222222Y#A.............................2QA2222222....#2 +2YYYY0000YYQU%...%22222AUA%.............++%$+...........+YUU022222....2M +Y002%+.....+0UY+...%22222MUDYYYYYYYYY$%.+%2Y02%%2YYYYYYYYYY0A#U22222....+AA 2A0%........+$UA+....%22222MAD0YYYY00DA#QUQQDDU#Q#QD0YYYYYYYY0D#U22222.....$M AAY+........+$UU$.....%2220#MQQ2%+.....+%2QQ#ADY%+.............%YQA2222+.....YM AAY+........%DQD$+.....%20#A2%++..................+%$$%+....+%$Y0D#HU022$.....+YUA MY$+......+%0QD%+.....+2YMY2$...............+%$$222$%+...........+%2UMY22......+$#2 M2%......2#HUY%.......%UMY2$...................+$$%+...............+$YM22........$0#2 M22%....2#HD%+.......+0Q#22.....................++..................++#U2$........+$#2 MU2$%+%UHD%.........%UA222...........................................2M22..........$#2 2DD22$DHU$+........+$UA222...........................................2M22%.........+2M +YD02AH0+........+%2UU222%.........................................+2M222+.........+#2 +YYUU$........+%220U#222%+......................................%$#A222$+.........YM 0A+........%2222UMY222$+....................................+$YM22222$.........$MA 0D.......+%222222YMY2222$+.............+%%%%+.............+%2UMY222222$+........MM 0D+....+%222222222DM#Y22222$%%+....+%%$22222222$$%%%%%%%$$2AU#M222222222$+.....+MAA 0U2%%%$2222222222YM2$MAD2222222222222DDDDDDDY22222222222YD#U22YMY2222222222$%%$YM$#2 0U22222222222DUQ#2.+#U0QQ#ADDDDA#QQQ022222YAQQ#QDDDDQ#QAAQ0+++2#UUY2222222222YM2.$M 2UA022222DUQD$+.+$AAAU222222222222222222222222222222220QD%....+%2#UDY2222YDU#2...M 2#HQQUU0%++%YDAA AU2222222222222222222222222222220QD%.........+2Q#MM#Q2+.....M +YY00000YYYY22 AA2222222222222222222222222222220UD%......++%0DDDD0%+.......M 4 second ASCii art cookup from one of those "interpreters" =P
poi Paranoid (IV) Inmate From: France Insane since: Jun 2002	posted 03-27-2005 11:22 Nada`King: Actually a mail with no or really few words will rank pretty in a spam analyzer, and the use of non alpha-numeric characters will not help it to gain some credibility in the "eyes" the analyzer. No need to "render a picture" of the mail, downsize it and use some graphical pattern recognition methods. All the more that they would scale with the huuuuge load of spam being sent. The mail servers can not afford to spend many memory and CPU time on such process while the good old methods works well and a little cost.
Nada`King Bipolar (III) Inmate From: United States Insane since: Mar 2005	posted 03-27-2005 17:27 Perhaps my idea was too outlandish... I am but a dreamer.

Topic awaiting preservation: "ascii art" in spam messages (Page 1 of 1) $Pages that link to <a href="https://ozoneasylum.com/backlink?for=25326" title="Pages that link to Topic awaiting preservation: &quot;ascii art&quot; in spam messages (Page 1 of 1)" rel="nofollow" >Topic awaiting preservation: "ascii art" in spam messages <span class="small">(Page 1 of 1)</span>\$

poi
Paranoid (IV) Inmate

From: France
Insane since: Jun 2002

posted 03-24-2005 11:54

I felt on L'Ascii Art : une technique de spam "nouvelle génération". The article is in French, but actually you miss nothing, the essence of the article lies in the image

I've never seen such spam, but hardly see how they could rank "safe mail" through any spam analyzer if the sender is not in your white-list. Well I guess it shows one more time that the spam business is so huuuge that they don't mind to see their lovely messages blocked by a majority of analyzers.

hyperbole
Paranoid (IV) Inmate

From: Madison, Indiana, USA
Insane since: Aug 2000

posted 03-24-2005 18:42

For a couple of weeks (about a month ago) I was getting spam with the words spelled down the page. Each one contained the words "read down" so it was easy to filter.

.

-- not necessarily stoned... just beautiful.

GRUMBLE
Paranoid (IV) Mad Scientist

From: Omicron Persei 8
Insane since: Oct 2000

posted 03-24-2005 18:42

this 0wnz

code:

____   __                  __        ___

 /  | |  \ |   | |\    /| |  \ |    |

|  __ |  / |   | | \  / | |  / |    |__

|    ||  \ |   | |  \/  | |  \ |    |

 \__/ |  |  \_/  |      | |__/ |___ |___

(Edited by GRUMBLE on 03-24-2005 18:43)

CPrompt
Maniac (V) Inmate

From: there...no..there.....
Insane since: May 2001

posted 03-24-2005 19:31

code:

ccccccc  pppppppp  rrrrrrr ooooooooo  mmmmmmmmmmm pppppppp ttttttttttt

cc       pp    pp  rr   rr oo     oo  mm  mm   mm pp    pp ttttttttttt

cc       pppppppp  rr      oo 	  oo  mm  mm   mm pppppppp     tt

cc	 pp        rr      oo	  oo  mm       mm pp	       tt	

ccccccc  pp        rr      ooooooooo  mm       mm pp 	       tt

had to join in the fun.

Later,

C:\

(Edited by CPrompt on 03-24-2005 19:32)

Iron Wallaby
Paranoid (IV) Inmate

From: USA
Insane since: May 2004

posted 03-24-2005 20:37

code:

foo:



              s$$s

             $$$$$$

             $$$$$$         ,s             s,

              ^$$^         s:               $s

                   ,,s$$  $$                '$$

           ,,,,ss$$$$S'  :$$                 $$:

        $$$$$$$$$$$$^    $$$:     s         ,$$$

         ''^$$$$$$$:     $$$$    s$,        $$$$

            :$$$$$$      $$$$$, ,$$$s,   ,s$$$$'

             $$$$$$       $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$'

             $$$$$$        ^$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$^

             $$$$$$s,       '^$$$^''^^$$$$^

            s$$$$$$$$ss-

          ,s$S^^'''

        ,$^''

       ''

Amusing thing that they're doing that. Clever way of circumventing keyword spamfilters, certainly.

---
"Consider a simple room with only four walls, a ceiling and a floor. Can you see it in your mind?s eye? You better not be able to; I haven?t specified a light source yet." - Paul Nettle

(Edited by Iron Wallaby on 03-24-2005 20:39)

warjournal
Maniac (V) Mad Scientist

From:
Insane since: Aug 2000

posted 03-24-2005 23:04

quote:
Clever way of circumventing keyword spamfilters, certainly.

What about using a bunch of spaces as a keyword?
Would that work for the average e-mail?
Would that cause problems with various flavors of e-mail and code?

(Edited by warjournal on 03-24-2005 23:05)

Nada`King
Nervous Wreck (II) Inmate

From:
Insane since: Mar 2005

posted 03-26-2005 22:31

Perhaps there can be an interpreter of sorts added to spam filters. Instead of trying to pull just spaces or other such things, it can recognize certain patterns in character arrangement (curves, crosses, etc) and from there produce a temporary file with an actual message. It would be quite easy to recognize simple linear patters (slanted lines, vertical lines, horizontal lines) and produce an "image" of the message, one which could be evaluated just as we can evaluate letters in images today.
I'd imagine it easier to look for mathematical patterns amongst character arrangement rather than seek meaning out of bunches of individual character placements.

If you wanted to get really good at it, you could measure the darkness (pixel density?) of a character to see if it has a certain shading property in relation to the characters around it, and then try to plot it in a linear fashion. It could even produce two virtual images of the message (one inverted) and see if either warrants a trip to the trashcan.

The simple point is: The spam filter should zoom-out on the message and try to recognize patterns just as any program looking for words in images would.

(Edited by Nada`King on 03-26-2005 22:32)

Arthemis
Paranoid (IV) Inmate

From: Milky Way
Insane since: Nov 2001

posted 03-27-2005 07:31

code:

0U%...........+YUD%+.......AA                                                               

     +D0+...........2UD%........+M                                                                

    2DD%...........%UU%........+2M                                                                

   2#D%..........+$DU2.........2#2                                                                

  2#2%..........+YAAY+........%AA      2222222        +2222+                                      

 AA2+...........YU0$+........+YM     AA#######AA    2AQ####QA2                                    

AD%+............%$%.........+YM    A#QQQHHHHHHQQ#AAQQQQQQUAAUQQ2                                  

2+.......................+$2#2   A#QQHUUDDDDDDUUHMNHHHHH#ADDDDUQQ2                                

+.......................%0AA    MQQ##DDDDDDDDDDDDMH####HHUDDDDDAU#A2+                             

......................%0A2    2HQQ##DDDDDDDUNNNNMMH#####HQDDDDDDDAQHH#D+                          

....................%0A2     2HQ##DDDDDDDDM######MH#####H#ADDDDDDDDUQADU#2                        

..................%0A2      2H##DDDDDDDDDM##HHHHHMNH#Q#HHNQDDDDDDDDDUQADDD#2                      

................%Y0Y+     +2MQUDDDDDDDDD#MQUADDDA#Q02220A#QDDDDDDDDDDQQDDDDU02                    

..............+20Y+      +D#UDDDDDDDDDD##AY222Y22Y22222220QUDDDDDDDDDAQUDDDDDUA                   

.............%0A2      +YAADDDDDDDDDDD#AY222$$2$$$$$222222AQADDDDDDDDDQQDDDDDDUA                  

............%DD+      2UADDDDDDDDDDDD#U2$%$%.......+%$22222UQDDDDDDDDDU##DDDDDDUA                 

...........+0D+      0QDDDDDDDDDDDDD#U2$..............+2Y220QQADDDDDDDA#MDDDDDDDM                2

...........%U0     2UADDDDDDDDDDDDD#U2%.................+%220##UADDDAAU#MDDDDDDDDM          AAAD02

...........D0     +DUDDDDDDDDDDDDDU#22%..................+$22A#QUUUUUUUUUMDDDDDDDM       22#Y$++..

..........%U0    +DUDDDDDDDDDDDDDM02222$+................+$222YQ#UUUUUUUUMDDDDDDDH2  22#Q2%+......

..........D0     0QDDDDDDDDDDDDU#0DD#QQQQ#D0............$0U#QQ#Q#HQUUUUUUMDDDDDDDUM#Q2%+..........

..........D0    0#ADDDDDDDDDDDU#2Q02$$$+......................+%2YU#QUUUUHUDDDDDAUM$+.............

..........D0   +A#ADDDDDDDDDDU#Y22$%+..........................++$20UQ#QUUMAAAAAUUM+.........++%2D

..........2A2  0#UUADDDDDDDDU#Y222+...$YY%................+$Y2+..+$220AQH##HUUUUUUM.......+%$DDDD0

+.........+A0  0#UUUAADDDDDDMY22222YYYDQA0................$DUA0YYY22222UMUHN#UUUUUM...++%0DDDD2222

$+.....%%..2AA20#UUUUUUAADU#U02220#MMMMM#QY+............+$DQHMMMMHUY22YAUDM#MUUUUUM+%2QQ#AD2222222

#Y$+...%D0++AU0Q#UUUUUUUUU#MDM2Q#MMMMMUD0YYY............$YYY0A#MMMMH#DUQDDM#MUUUUUMADD2222%++++...

 2#Y$%+.2UA22UU2A#UUUUUUU#HH#M#2YDDD2%+..........$%..........++%2Y002AHH#H###MUUUU##2%+++.........

   AAAD02$AUD0AU##UUUUUUU#H###MY222+............$Y$...............+$2UH#######MUUUUHA.............

        2AA2 2AA#M#UUUUUU#H####M222..........++......+++..........+$UH########MUUUUUM%............

                 0#Q##QQ#HNH###NU22+.........+QD00000U0+.........+%0#H####HH#QQQ##UUHA+...........

                0MHA2%%222Y0M###NUY2+...........................+$D#H####M0222$+$Y##UM2..........+

                0#0$+$0AADDD#HH##HQA2%+........+%$%+..........+%YU###HHHH#DDDAD2%+2AH##+....++%200

              +YDY%$0UAY$222YDAN##NN#A0$+.......+%%+.......+%20UHNH##H#ADY222$DUA2%%AQM2YY00YY0Y2+

             +DA$+2UAY%%0AADDDDQQHMUUUUUD0$%+...........+%20AUD0D#H##QUDDDDAA$+$DUA.%2##2222      

             0U$+.DU%+$AQ0$$$222YMMDDDDDUU#QY$+......+%2DQQAY$+++0#NU2222$$2U#Y++2M..+YM          

             0QY%+++.0Q0%+20#UD0DDU###DDDDDDUUU#QQQQ#QA02%++%2DUDAQAD00AU#0++2U#..$.+$0M          

            0#Q#UY%+.YY+.$QMY$+$20#U%2DU#DDDDDDDDY2$%++.+%2AQAY$+YQUY2%%$YM0..+U..+$0#M           

            0#UU##D2%+...DQ0++$2#MD%..+$YQ#UUD2+.....+$YAQQD2%+..+2QHA$%++0M....+$YUHUM           

            2QQUUU##D$+..$$++22220#U.............................YQUY2222++Y...%YUHUU#A           

              2AQ#H00U$.....2222222M.............................DU2222222.....YM M#A             

                     0D...+$222222YM.............................DU2222222$....M                  

             +2222+ +D0...%222222Y#A.............................2QA2222222....#2                 

        +2YYYY0000YYQU%...%22222AUA%.............++%$+...........+YUU022222....2M                 

      +Y002%+.....+0UY+...%22222MUDYYYYYYYYY$%.+%2Y02%%2YYYYYYYYYY0A#U22222....+AA                

     2A0%........+$UA+....%22222MAD0YYYY00DA#QUQQDDU#Q#QD0YYYYYYYY0D#U22222.....$M                

    AAY+........+$UU$.....%2220#MQQ2%+.....+%2QQ#ADY%+.............%YQA2222+.....YM               

   AAY+........%DQD$+.....%20#A2%++..................+%$$%+....+%$Y0D#HU022$.....+YUA             

   MY$+......+%0QD%+.....+2YMY2$...............+%$$222$%+...........+%2UMY22......+$#2            

   M2%......2#HUY%.......%UMY2$...................+$$%+...............+$YM22........$0#2          

   M22%....2#HD%+.......+0Q#22.....................++..................++#U2$........+$#2         

    MU2$%+%UHD%.........%UA222...........................................2M22..........$#2        

    2DD22$DHU$+........+$UA222...........................................2M22%.........+2M        

     +YD02AH0+........+%2UU222%.........................................+2M222+.........+#2       

       +YYUU$........+%220U#222%+......................................%$#A222$+.........YM       

          0A+........%2222UMY222$+....................................+$YM22222$.........$MA      

          0D.......+%222222YMY2222$+.............+%%%%+.............+%2UMY222222$+........MM      

          0D+....+%222222222DM#Y22222$%%+....+%%$22222222$$%%%%%%%$$2AU#M222222222$+.....+MAA     

          0U2%%%$2222222222YM2$MAD2222222222222DDDDDDDY22222222222YD#U22YMY2222222222$%%$YM$#2    

           0U22222222222DUQ#2.+#U0QQ#ADDDDA#QQQ022222YAQQ#QDDDDQ#QAAQ0+++2#UUY2222222222YM2.$M    

            2UA022222DUQD$+.+$AAAU222222222222222222222222222222220QD%....+%2#UDY2222YDU#2...M    

              2#HQQUU0%++%YDAA   AU2222222222222222222222222222220QD%.........+2Q#MM#Q2+.....M    

               +YY00000YYYY22    AA2222222222222222222222222222220UD%......++%0DDDD0%+.......M

4 second ASCii art cookup from one of those "interpreters" =P

poi
Paranoid (IV) Inmate

From: France
Insane since: Jun 2002

posted 03-27-2005 11:22

Nada`King: Actually a mail with no or really few words will rank pretty in a spam analyzer, and the use of non alpha-numeric characters will not help it to gain some credibility in the "eyes" the analyzer.

No need to "render a picture" of the mail, downsize it and use some graphical pattern recognition methods. All the more that they would scale with the huuuuge load of spam being sent. The mail servers can not afford to spend many memory and CPU time on such process while the good old methods works well and a little cost.

Nada`King
Bipolar (III) Inmate

From: United States
Insane since: Mar 2005

posted 03-27-2005 17:27

Perhaps my idea was too outlandish... I am but a dreamer.