R 292348Z JAN 10
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 061/10
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC C4//
SUBJ/CHAIN E-MAIL POLICY AND PROCEDURES//
POC/JAMES CRAWFORD/MGYSGT /UNIT:HQMC C4IA/-/-/TEL:TEL/TEL:703-693-3490/TEL:EMAIL/ EMAIL:JAMES.A.CRAWFORD(AT)USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. CHAIN E-MAILS ARE E-MAILS THAT, IN THE BODY OR SUBJECT OF THE MESSAGE, ASK THE RECIPIENT TO FORWARD THE E-MAIL ON TO MULTIPLE PEOPLE.  MOST CHAIN E-MAILS ARE HOAXES AND ARE CONSIDERED TO BE A SECURITY AND PRIVACY RISK.  CHAIN E-MAIL CONTENT MAY INCLUDE TOO-GOOD-TO-BE-TRUE SALES PROMOTIONS OR HOAXES, AND OFTEN INCLUDE STATEMENTS SUCH AS "FOR EVERY PERSON THAT YOU FORWARD THIS E-MAIL TO, YOU WILL RECEIVE ...," "SEND THIS MESSAGE TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW," AND "THIS IS TRUE."
2. BACKGROUND. FORWARDING CHAIN E-MAIL, OR "SPAMMING," IS A CONCERN ACROSS THE MARINE CORPS ENTERPRISE NETWORK (MCEN).  FORWARDING CHAIN E-MAIL DISTRACTS RECIPIENTS FROM THEIR WORK, DEGRADES NETWORK PERFORMANCE BY TRANSMITTING NON-PRODUCTIVE MESSAGES, IS CONSIDERED TO BE A DENIAL OF SERVICE THREAT TO VARIOUS MCEN SEGMENTS, AND CAUSES UNNECESSARY COST.  ADDITIONALLY, RESPONDING WITH "REPLY TO ALL" TO ADMONISH THE CHAIN E-MAIL SENDER FURTHER SATURATES THE NETWORK.
3. ACTION. IT IS PROHIBITED TO CREATE OR FORWARD CHAIN E-MAILS.
A. MCEN USERS ARE TO NOTIFY THE CHAIN OF COMMAND UPON THE RECEIPT OF A CHAIN E-MAIL, RECEIVE GUIDANCE, AND TAKE ACTION AS DIRECTED.  IN THE ABSENCE OF TIMELY GUIDANCE, USERS ARE TO DELETE THE CHAIN E-MAIL AND REPORT THE RECEIPT AND DELETION.
B. UNITS COMMANDERS ARE TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO USER ACCOUNTS OF INDIVIDUALS WHO FORWARD CHAIN E-MAIL.  THIS CAN BE DONE THROUGH THE LOCAL INFORMATION ASSURANCE MANAGER (IAM) USING LOCAL ADMIN PERMISSIONS TO LOCK THE ACCOUNT.  EXCEPTIONS SHOULD ONLY BE CONSIDERED FOR THOSE ACCOUNTS CRUCIAL TO CURRENT OPERATIONAL MISSION AND SAFETY.  REINSTATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS DISABLED FOR THIS ISSUE IS A LOCAL COMMAND DECISION. HOWEVER, BEFORE REINSTATEMENT, EACH USER INVOLVED MUST COMPLETE THE DOD INFORMATION AWARENESS TRAINING AND PRESENT THE COMPLETION CERTIFICATE AS EVIDENCE.  THESE CERTIFICATES MUST BE MANTAINED LOCALLY AS AN INSPECTABLE ARTIFACT.  THE TRAINING IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT THE DISA INFORMATION ASSURANCE SUPPORT ENVIRONMENT WEBSITE TRAINING SECTION HTTP:(SLASH SLASH)IASE.DISA.MIL(SLASH)ETA(SLASH)IAAV8(SLASH)INDEX.HTM.
4. CANCELLATION CONTINGENCY.  THIS MESSAGE, UNLESS SUPERSEDED, IS CANCELLED 31 JANUARY 2011.
5. RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY MAJGEN G. J. ALLEN, DIRECTOR, COMMAND, CONTROL, COMMUNICATIONS, AND COMPUTERS.//