Spam Levels Attained New Heights in November

IT Security firm SoftScan claims that almost 96% of the mails which were scanned in November were found as junk mail. November saw the highest number of spam and December will again surely attain new heights considering the month's special status.

This is noted to be the sixth month in a row that spam has crossed 90% mark. From June onwards, junk mail has grown tremendously from 90.06% followed by two large increases in September 93.51% and October 96.10% to November's highest of 96.3%. Significantly, in the weekends, when there are less authentic spam mails, spam levels goes beyond 98%. Further, the highest record noted in the month was 98.71%.

SoftScan also reported an increment in the number of spam being sent in languages other than English. However, the number of viruses attached to mail remained low with only 0.08% intercepted messages consisting harmful attachments.

CTO of SoftScan, Diego d'Ambra, said that local language has proved easy for users to spot as it got translated electronically. Diego also added that spammers are already fed up with translation and has realized that if they want people's attention for clicking on a link or buying goods, they have to mould it into local frame, as per the news by Sourcewire on December 4, 2007.

In October 2007, Diego explained the two factors behind this increment - first, the spammers are finding it difficult to get through filters and are making use of volume as tactic; and secondly and sadly, it is the source of spinning money, as per the news by BCS in the first week of October 2007.

SoftScan claims that the amount of viruses in mail messages seems to have fallen back to levels noticed before the summer. In November, viruses estimated for just 0.08% of e-mail scanned.

As per IronPort, almost 120 Billion spam messages are being sent everyday nationwide, consisting 98% of all mail traffic. And it has been predicted that social networking sites have emerged as prime source of private data for spam gangs to attack in 2008, with Christmas proving an attractive period as they shifted their focus on online shopping.

Related article: Spam Scam Bags a Scottish Connection

» SPAMfighter News - 12/17/2007