Web hosting firm shut over spam

A web hosting firm which has been accused of supporting some of the world's biggest spammers has been shut down.

The California-based company McColo ceased trading last week after the business providing a web connection to the firm pulled the plug.

However, despite this web hosting success against spam, many experts anticipate there will be further developments in the junk email industry as other businesses seek to take advantage of the Christmas season to send their messages through unwilling botnets.

Doug Bowers, the senior director of anti-abuse engineering for Symantec, told the Associated Press this is a small victory but other spammers will soon emerge.

"It is always a cat-and-mouse game, and we fully expect there will be a countermove," he stated.

Back in 2004, Microsoft targeted a web host which offered clients an email marketing service with a lawsuit.

The software giant also sued a series of spammers as part of its work with the US Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act.