The E-mail Service Provider Coalition (ESPC) has revealed the results of an industry survey that demonstrates strong adoption of e-mail authentication protocols by the world's largest corporate brands, with more than 70 percent of the Fortune 100 companies using the protocols on outbound marketing e-mail to help protect against phishing exploits and spam.

In August 2004, the ESPC mandated that all its member companies implement one or more of the available authentication protocols for their corporate and affiliate e-mail, which resulted in a dramatic increase in authentication by the Fortune 100, according to the ESPC.

Survey results also showed that Fortune 100 companies had a 57-percent increase in the authentication of corporate e-mail domains and a 27-percent increase in the number of .com and .net domains supporting Sender ID since July 2005.

Of the Fortune 100 companies that are not publishing SPF records for their corporate domain, more than 80 percent have spoofed or look-alike domains with records, indicating a significant threat to their customers and corporate brand, the organization said.

Formed in 2002 to fight spam while protecting the delivery of legitimate e-mail, the ESPC boasts membership from e-mail service providers, mail transfer agents, Internet service providers, application developers, and deliverability solutions providers. The ESPC is composed of 80 members including CheetahMail, Constant Contact, Digital Impact, DoubleClick, ProspectivDirect, Return Path Inc., SKYLIST, and StrongMail Systems Inc.