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Spam Levels Reach a Peak of 81.3% During February 2011

Symantec Corporation, on March 1, 2011, declared its MessageLabs Intelligence Report for February 2011, according to which, spam increased to a maximum of 81.3% during February 2011, recording a 2.7% rise from January 2011. Symantec.cloud published this on March 1, 2011.

Reveals the report, with increase in general spam volumes during February 2011, the country, which experienced the maximum spam generation (88.1%), was China. Moreover, Canada and USA both recorded a spam rate of 81.4% each. And while, in The Netherlands the spam percentage was 82.2%, in UK it was 81.1% of the total electronic mails.

Significantly, in Denmark, Germany and Australia, the volume of spam recorded was 81.7%, 81.2% and 81.0% respectively. In Japan there were fewer spam outbreaks i.e. the country recorded 78.5% as opposed to others, while the rates in Hong Kong, South Africa and Singapore were 82.2%, 81.6% and 80.4% respectively.

Moreover, according to the report, during February 2011, the sector receiving the greatest amount of spam was the Automotive Industry that recorded an 84.3% spam. Elsewhere, in the Education sector, spam rates peaked 82.6%, while in the Pharmaceutical & Chemical sector, it was 81.7%, in IT services -81.4%, Retails -80.8%, Public Sector -80.1% and Finance -80.2%. SiliconValley published this on March 1, 2011.

And whilst taking the discussion towards the most-widespread junk e-mail assault, Symantec points out that it was the latest pharma-related spam scam, which marketed an Internet pharmacy, Google supposedly accredited. The security company then says that this attack is clearly one of brand hijacking since Google doesn't approve or host pharmaceutical websites. The content of the spam mails promoted hair-loss prevention drug as also there was an embedded web-link leading onto the spammer's blog.

Meanwhile, another spam campaign circulated which popularized the 2022 World Cup to be held in Qatar. But, Symantec points out that the spammers weren't bothered that the event was over a decade ahead.

Finally, MessageLabs Intelligence intercepted yet another e-mail spam, which posed as notifications for recipients that there were several important or not yet viewed messages inside their accounts they held on a widely visited social-networking site.

Related article: Spam Scam Bags a Scottish Connection

» SPAMfighter News - 3/11/2011

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