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PlusNet E-Mailers Suffer Spammers’ Assaults

Spammers stole e-mail database of ISP PlusNet and bombarded the accounts of its users with spam mails.

The first attack occurred on May 14 this year when PlusNet gamblers reported that unsolicited e-mails promoting pharmacy products filled e-mail addresses that were previously spam-free. There have been reports from some forum posters that a small number of their web mail contact ids too received considerable spam.

BT-owned PlusNet said that they had noticed some external source illegally acquiring several of their customer e-mail ids. As a result PlusNet is notifying all their affected customers about the incident. They are also providing guidance and assistance to ensure safety of customers' Internet connections and computers. Theregister.co published this in news on May 15, 2007.

In recent times, the most worrying trend in phishing has been the presence of the 'man-in-the-middle' in an increasing number of attacks. In these kinds of attacks a cyber criminal sits in flesh and blood between the fraudulent site and the true one, exploiting the compromised date to his personal advantage. In no time that the criminal steals the data, he or someone else clears the victim's bank accounts.

As per estimates by the Federal Trade Commission, in U.S. 4.7% of the population or 10 million people succumbed to identity theft in 2006. The country suffered a total loss of U.S. $53 billion. Online identity theft is inflicting many industries with most targets on financial services institutions.

PlusNet expressed regret over the incident but assured to have resolved the problem. The ISP further said that it would further monitor everything properly to minimize the effect and not let it happen again. Theregister.co published this in news on May 15, 2007.

Under-investment in PlusNet during 2006 resulted in an unending sequence of blunders, admitted PlusNet directors. There was deletion of data and disgruntled users disassociating from the firm. This provoked exit from PlusNet package of services.

In April last, when accounts suffered a spam attack at the time of transcending, the company said it would correct its e-mail problems with the help of its new hardware. As for the current attack PlusNet has made no comments.

Related article: PlusNet Faces Spam Assault - a Caution for Others

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