Security Flaw turns Gmail into open-relay server

A reference to an article in ars technica by Slashdot focuses on a problem Google is having where its Gmail email service can be used as an extremely effective spam machine.

The Information Security Research Team (INSERT) says that Gmail is susceptible to a man-in-the middle attack that allows spammers to send thousands of bulk email messages through Google's SMTP service without detection. This particular attack circumvents Google's identity fraud protection mechanisms as well as the 500-address limit on bulk e-mail.

See Ars Technica for the full report and INSERT for today's update on the Gmail flaw from the Information Security Research Team.