DENVER - July 6, 2006 - MX Logic Inc., a provider of innovative, easy-to-use email defense solutions for small and medium-sized businesses, has been granted U.S. patent #7,051,077 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The patent covers MX Logic's method of identifying and controlling spam, which uses a sophisticated voting algorithm based on fuzzy logic that intelligently combines the results from multiple classifiers to achieve more than 99 percent accuracy.
The patented technology powers the MX Logic Stacked Classification Framework, a spam-detection system that features multiple layers of spam classifiers working in combination to identify email messages as spam. As new spam-detection techniques and filters are developed, MX Logic adds them to the Stacked Classification Framework, further ensuring spam-filtering effectiveness.
"This patent validates MX Logic's unique and powerful spam-detection technology, while further confirming our leadership position within the email security market," said Scott Chasin, chief technology officer, MX Logic. "Because each spam classifier within the Stacked Classification Framework has specific strengths designed to identify particular threats, MX Logic's patented technology is one of the most accurate and comprehensive in the industry. In addition, using a modular approach to email-threat protection enables us to add and retire filters as necessary to ensure that ours is the most effective defense against unwanted and harmful email."
Using a different technique to analyze the spam probability of each email message, each spam classifier is given a single "vote." The votes are then combined in an intelligent manner using fuzzy logic -- a type of logic that recognizes more than simple true and false values, but instead determines degrees of truthfulness and falsehood. By analyzing spam likelihood in degrees, rather than simply averaging the votes or using a majority vote, the MX Logic Stacked Classification Framework system results in a high rate of accuracy.
"A very effective way to combat spam and other email threats is by using a combination of filtering techniques," said Chris Christiansen, vice president of security products and services, IDC. "MX Logic's patented technology accurately identifies and blocks spam because it employs a layered approach that weighs probabilities rather than just relying on absolute values."
The MX Logic Stacked Classification Framework includes the following spam-detection techniques and filters:
- Statistical filtering -- A Bayesian algorithm enables MX Logic to determine the statistical probability that an email message is spam based on how often elements in that message have appeared in other spam emails.
- Reputation analysis -- MX Logic rates the reputation of the sender based upon the percentage of spam messages received from that IP address in the past.
- Proprietary heuristics -- MX Logic experts write and update thousands of proprietary rules to block spam using real-time data from the MX Logic Threat Center, which monitors billions of messages per month for over 8,300 organizations worldwide.
- Industry heuristics -- MX Logic incorporates thousands of successful industry-wide spam-fighting rules into its filtering layers.
- URL filtering -- MX Logic compares embedded links found in email messages with URLs associated with identified spam to quickly and accurately identify new spam email messages.
- Reputation-based RBL filtering -- Utilizing up to 31 real-time blackhole lists (RBLs) of known spammers, MX Logic enhances spam-filtering effectiveness by rating the reputation of each RBL based on its accuracy at distinguishing spammers from senders of legitimate email.
- Symantec Brightmail AntiSpam -- Provides a global view of email traffic by leveraging the extensive Symantec Probe Network of over 2 million spam traps in 20 countries, identifying and blocking non-English-language spam and gathering threat information from Symantec Brightmail Logistics and Operations Centers worldwide.
- Sender Policy Framework (SPF)/Sender ID Email Authentication -- For inbound messages, MX Logic can check whether the message has an associated SPF/Sender ID record. If an SPF/Sender ID record exists, MX Logic can help determine if the email senders domain is from a list of IP addresses authorized to send email from that domain.
About MX Logic MX Logic Inc. provides innovative, easy-to-use email defense solutions to small and medium-sized businesses. Processing billions of messages each month for over 9,300 organizations worldwide, MX Logic distributes its email security and protection solutions primarily through an extensive partner network. For more information, visit www.mxlogic.com.
