US is top spam-relaying country, says Sophos
Anti-virus firm reveals list of ‘Dirty Dozen’
By JOEL D. PINAROC, Manila Bulletin
The US has remained the top spam-relaying country in the world, a new report by anti-virus firm Sophos said.
Sophos, however, said that although the US remains on top of the chart, it has made significant reductions, and for the first time accounts for less than a quarter of all spam relayed.
Spam or ‘junk mail’ have been plaguing Internet users worldwide, as the unwanted e-mail can be easily relayed to millions of computer users in a matter of minutes.
About 24.5% of all spam is coming from the US, with China a close second with 22.3%, the Sophos report said.
Rounding up the top five spam-producing countries are South Korea, with 9.7%, France, with 5%, and Canada, with 3%.
Sophos also said the list gives an indication as to the nature of the spam problem, as "zombie" computers, responsible for relaying more than 60% of the world’s spam, can allow spammers to escape country-specific legislation, as they no longer have to be located in the same country as the spamming machines they operate.
The Sophos report further said that the level of non-English language spam is continuing to increase, with the vast majority now being relayed by computers hijacked by Trojan horses, worms and viruses under the control of hackers.
The report said sizeable increases are also happening in "pump-and-dump" stock spam, designed to artificially inflate stock prices before spammers sell shares at considerable profit.
The Sophos report meanwhile said the US has led the way in imposing severe penalties and fines for those found guilty of spamming. Recently, an Iowa-based Internet service provider was awarded .2 billion in a judgment against Florida-based spammer James McCalla, while another culprit, Daniel Lin of Detroit, is currently facing a sentence of at least two years imprisonment for his actions.
"It’s good news for the US, the tougher sentences being dished out are clearly making spammers feel the heat," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos.
The anti-virus firm recommends that computer users ensure they keep their anti-virus software up-to-date, as well as using a properly configured firewall and installing the latest operating system security patches, to reduce the risk of their PCs becoming part of a zombie network.
By JOEL D. PINAROC, Manila Bulletin
The US has remained the top spam-relaying country in the world, a new report by anti-virus firm Sophos said.
Sophos, however, said that although the US remains on top of the chart, it has made significant reductions, and for the first time accounts for less than a quarter of all spam relayed.
Spam or ‘junk mail’ have been plaguing Internet users worldwide, as the unwanted e-mail can be easily relayed to millions of computer users in a matter of minutes.
About 24.5% of all spam is coming from the US, with China a close second with 22.3%, the Sophos report said.
Rounding up the top five spam-producing countries are South Korea, with 9.7%, France, with 5%, and Canada, with 3%.
Sophos also said the list gives an indication as to the nature of the spam problem, as "zombie" computers, responsible for relaying more than 60% of the world’s spam, can allow spammers to escape country-specific legislation, as they no longer have to be located in the same country as the spamming machines they operate.
The Sophos report further said that the level of non-English language spam is continuing to increase, with the vast majority now being relayed by computers hijacked by Trojan horses, worms and viruses under the control of hackers.
The report said sizeable increases are also happening in "pump-and-dump" stock spam, designed to artificially inflate stock prices before spammers sell shares at considerable profit.
The Sophos report meanwhile said the US has led the way in imposing severe penalties and fines for those found guilty of spamming. Recently, an Iowa-based Internet service provider was awarded .2 billion in a judgment against Florida-based spammer James McCalla, while another culprit, Daniel Lin of Detroit, is currently facing a sentence of at least two years imprisonment for his actions.
"It’s good news for the US, the tougher sentences being dished out are clearly making spammers feel the heat," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos.
The anti-virus firm recommends that computer users ensure they keep their anti-virus software up-to-date, as well as using a properly configured firewall and installing the latest operating system security patches, to reduce the risk of their PCs becoming part of a zombie network.
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