author: programming

Latest Security News | SecurityExtra.com

Spam in October 2011: More Countries Getting in on the Act

Posted: 07 Dec 2011 11:20 AM PST

Kaspersky Lab has published its review of spammer activity in October 2011. This month witnessed mass mailings exploiting high-profile events, a shift in phishing targets and spam sources were spread more evenly over more countries. October was rich in sensational events which, as usual, the spammers exploited to the full. Mass mailings were registered that referred to the death of Apple founder Steve Jobs, the majority of them containing malicious code. Spammers also reacted to another death, that of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi on 20 October, with some classic 'Nigerian' letters. Users received emails allegedly sent by Gaddafi's "relatives" and his "former officers", who had allegedly inherited part of his "countless treasures". All the letters contained offers to share some of the wealth. There were also messages with a Christmas or New Year twist adding a seasonal flavour to October's spam. They tended to contain adverts for presents and trips during the festive season. The problems with the global economy clearly had an effect on phishing activity, with fraudsters demonstrating a preference for real money instead of virtual funds. As a result, banks and financial services became more attractive targets in October, with social networks and online games receiving [...]