Image-Link Spam Seen As Next Cyber Security Threat Wave

One of the major suppliers of anti-spam, anti-spyware and anti-virus devices for business, IronPort Systems, Inc., has informed about a recent security danger wave that is aiming clients particularly in the Small-Medium Enterprises (SME) sector.

The introduction of advanced security software by companies have impelled spammers to innovate modern techniques to invade networks called "Image-Link Spam", which, unlike traditional image spamming, establishes a link to the graphics with a Universal Resource Locator (URL) in the content. This wave is spanning the whole spammer group and has got sanction of the hackers.

Image spam frauds aren't just confined to messages. The newly detected Pykse.A virus worm hacks the Skype PC-calling service of subscribers via its embedded IM (Instant Messaging) program. The client receives an image of a gorgeous model, but as he clicks on the image, worm download on his system to perpetrate damage.

A short time ago, boffins at Secure Computing Security Company (CSO) revealed results of a doubly malevolent variant of image spam. Instead of affixing spam images to a message, spammers utilize trendy photograph and image hosting sites to display their spam images and implant them immediately in the e-mail, making it much simpler to bypass a spam filter and enter an unsuspecting user's inbox.

Alleged Ambarish Deshpande, IronPort Systems, India and SAARC's director, in a statement reported by EFY Times on May 28, 2007, that they have observed that since end April 2007, image-related spam has increased to become the future trend for cyber security risks. spammers are transmitting fake e-mails to clients and affixing URL links, which block both mailboxes and networks. Actually, image-link spam nowadays comprises 4% of global spam levels, added Ambarish Deshpande.

The number of circulating image spam nearly increased twofold in 2006 and is already turning out to be one of the largest spamming waves of 2007 as it's very difficult for anti-spam filters that only depend on scrutiny of text spam message to discover it, said Graham Cluley, Sophos' senior technology consultant in statement reported by Help Net Security in May second week.

Related article: Image Spam Set to Hit Worldwide PCs Back

» SPAMfighter News - 6/5/2007