Symantec - Compromised Computers Sent 90% of Spam

As per the report by Symantec's Hosted Services, MessageLabs, five to six million compromised computers, which are linked to form botnets, sent 120 Billion junk emails, which made up 90% of all of the daily spam, in the first half of 2010.

MessageLabs has also prepared the regional spam report for the countries like the US and Australia. Regarding the US 'MeesageLabs Intelligence Special Report: Spam rates in The United States'; the highest spammed US state with more than 95% of spam is 'Idaho'.

Alabama and South Carolina are the other highest spammed US states with spam rates more than 93%. In fact, the spam rate in these states surpasses the national average of 89.3%. These two states are followed by Indiana (92.7%), Tennessee (92.1%), Illinois (91.8%), Utah (91.6%), Washington (91.3%), New Hamisphire (91.3%) and North Carolina (91.3%). Puerto Rico, Montana and Louisiana are the least spammed states.

MessageLabs discloses that it should also be noted that Idaho is the highest spammed state/territory for the second consecutive year. Puerto Rico is the least spammed for the second subsequent year in a row.

The report also states that in the United States, spam is mainly crafted for the Engineering (94.1%), Automotive (92.9%) and Accommodation/Catering sectors (90.5%). Business Support (87.3%), General Services (87.4%) and Finance (87.6%) are the least spammed sectors.

'MessageLabs Intelligence Special Report: Spam Rates in Australia' has also been released by the security company for Australia. As per the report, the highest spammed region is Australian Capital Territory (91.4%). Next comes - Queensland (89.1%). After this, other states are - Victoria (88.5%), New South Wales (88.4%), Tasmania (88.3%), Western Australia (86.9%) and South Australia (86.8%).

The Australian report also states that Business Support Services (recruitment and secretarial), Automotive and Estate Agents are the least aimed sectors (by local study of spam emails). In Australia, bigger companies having 250 employees or more, have lesser spam rates in comparison with the Small-Medium-sized Businesses (SBM) having between 1 and 250 employees. Sometimes this difference can be more than 7%.

Related article: Sentence for American Contractor for Sabotaging Government Navy Computers

» SPAMfighter News - 26-07-2010

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