Challenge–response spam filtering

<p>A challenge–response (or C/R) system is a type of <a href="/facts/Anti-spam_techniques_(e-mail)/WqhhDVXj">spam filter</a> that automatically sends a reply with a challenge to the (alleged) sender of an incoming <a href="/facts/E-mail/6pD9GLtI">e-mail</a>, e.g., using the RCPT TO command and then closing the session without actually sending a message, rather than using the <a href="/facts/RFC_(identifier)/esftTvE7">RFC</a> <a href="https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc5321">5321</a> VRFY command.   It was originally designed in 1997 by Stan Weatherby, and was called Email Verification. In this reply, the purported sender is asked to perform some action to assure delivery of the original message, which would otherwise not be delivered. The action to perform typically takes relatively little effort to do once, but great effort to perform in large numbers. This effectively filters out spammers. Challenge–response systems only need to send challenges to unknown senders. Senders that have previously performed the challenging action, or who have previously been sent e-mail(s) to, would be automatically whitelisted.
</p>

Challenge–response spam filtering open-in-new

Challenge–response spam filtering