Spam levels return to levels seen before McColo shutdown

Spam levels have returned to the level they were at before the shutdown of nefarious ISP McColo, which was known for its acceptance of spammers and scammers as customers. After the shutdown, spam levels dropped an amazing 75%, largely in part because three botnets were cut off by it: Mega-D, Srizbi, and Rustock. Mega-D. At least one, Mega-D (named after one of the fake pharmaceuticals its spam hyped), has resumed operations. Experts say it has most likely relocated to an overseas host, probably in Romania or Estonia.

The current hot topics being used by the spammers now include the economy, financial markets, and unemployment. In January, spammers made use of the presidential inauguration and the holidays of Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day. Those holidays were also widely used to spread malware in the form of fake e-greetings.

The newest type of spam being sent is location based. It starts with a spam message directing the user to a webpage with a fake news story announcing a national disaster or crisis has hit their city or one nearby. The scammers customize the story to the user’s location by capturing the IP and determining its geolocation, hoping the personalization will help convince them to click on the link, which then loads malware onto their computer.

If you aren’t doing so already, install a good anti-virus program and keep it updated. These days such software is crucial for the safety and security of your system!

Read [Washington Post]