New Spam Campaign Attaches PDF Files With Emails

According to the news reported by CRN.com on June 22, 2007, security vendors have cautioned the users against the new spam campaign that attaches PDF files to win the confidence of users. The experts alert the recipients against this new device of spammers, which for the first time is using PDF files for spamming.

As per the email security vendor Marshal, the spammers have struggled a lot to find new methods of fooling the user and now also they have come up with a new method of sending their messages across. Now, the spammers have shifted their device from image spam to PDF attached spam.

The PDF appears similar to a document investor which might come from a broker viz. Charles Schwab, Dave Mayer, a product manager at Iron Port. It gives us the users top-ten reasons for buying stocks, target-price, the ten-day movement average, and details about he reasons for the stock to go up.

Mayer reported that he expected to see more PDF spam. He also claimed that previous night he came across of a second PDF circulating for a 419 scam, which claimed that the respective user won an inheritance or a lottery ticket. Further, this scam directs the user to send a large amount of money to get the prize.

According to the news reported by Top Tech News on June 22, 2007, Mayer said that so far PDF have proven to be an appropriate strategy. He continues that the hackers are loaded with money from all the Viagra they have sold so far. Now, they are looking for opportunities to invest the capital for more returns.

Almost 75,000 zombie PCs have distributed the outbreak that is equal to 9% of the total email traffic. Moreover, it has become one of the 10 largest outbreaks in this year (2007) so far. US, Spain and Germany are the three most prominent locations of these zombies. The victims of the attack belong to Europe.

According to the news published by CRN.com on June 22, 2007, director of product management at Marshal, Bradley Anstis said that since PDF attachment is a commonly used business related file format, it has been used by the spammers to minimize the doubt of the user that the message can be spam.

As per the news by CRN.com on June 22, 2007, Anstis added that with the outbreak of PDF spam the attackers have tried to add legitimacy and credibility to their messages in order to fool the users.

Related article: New Zealand Releases Code To Reduce Spam

» SPAMfighter News - 7/6/2007