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Social Engineering Techniques Used For Spreading Malware Online

Unsolicited e-mail senders are progressively utilizing social-engineering methods to tempt e-mail receivers to open messages affected with malicious software, states a current report by e-mail safety firm Commtouch.

The report, "Q1 2007: malware Outbreak Trends," explains how malware authors exploit pace, mutation and social engineering methods to circulate malware all over the cyberspace. They have espoused the techniques fully until e-mail recipients can be lured to open affected e-mails and attachments.

In Q1 2007, server-side multiform malicious software was unleashed across messages, using the notorious zero hour weakness of conventional anti-virus methods. In the beginning of the quarter, the Storm/Nuwar malware issued a maximum of above 7,000 such versions in a day.

"End users had been repeatedly warned not to click on unforeseen or unknown attachments, but at times it's simply irresistible," stated Rebecca Steinberg Herson, Sunnyvale, CA based Commtouch's, Senior Director of Marketing as per reports in May 4, 2007's edition of Dmnews.

Rebecca averred, "Many individuals wish to view a fascinating video clip or to check a greeting card, to see if the content seems right to them and the emailer's name seems recognizable enough, consumers are opening the attachment and getting affected," as indicated by reports released by Dmnews on May 4, 2007.

"The server-side multiform dissemination model has been established as a 'victory' for malware authors. This technique is so proficient at bypassing anti-virus devices, that it's now being implemented worldwide," said Haggai Carmon, vice president of products at Commtouch, as reported in bulletin released on May 2, 2007 by Home.businesswire.

"By producing a proliferation of different editions and emitting them in small, violent surges, virus authors are capable of issuing new forms so fast that hallmark or formulas cannot be made rapidly enough to protect against them," Carmon alleged according to a bulletin issued by Home.businesswire on May 2, 2007.

"The circulation rate of malware has risen drastically in the last few years, as it is being transmitted using zombies -- PCs that have been hijacked by a bot and exploited to transmit rootkits -- without the consumer knowing it," averred Ms. Steinberg Herson as reported on May 4, 2007 by Dmnews.

Related article: SoCal Computer Hack Traces to Watsonville

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