Worldwide spam is on the rise with a 53% spike in malicious emails in June, according to a second quarter report by Google released this week.
The spam has come packaged in both new and old forms, leaving experts to speculate whether new spammers are entering onto the scene or old spammers are testing the defenses of different spam filters.
The report noted malicious emails, that spoofed recipients with a falsified ‘from’ field, hit distribution lists hard and that there was a surge in image-based spam.
Spam volumes had been down 70% after the takedown of a major spammer last November. But since then other spammers have raced to fill the void.
The report also showed an increase in viruses sent in email attachments in June reaching some of the highest levels in nearly two years.
Experts suggest internet users practice safe internet surfing, not to share passwords or visit dubious sites, to install anti-malware software and that they try contacting the ISP directly from where the spam was received.
James was the editor and publisher of SmartCompany and LeadingCompany for five years. He is now the Australian Financial Review‘s companies & markets editor, and a former BRW editor.
