This from PC World: Malware writers are turning to SPAM to distribute their software exploits. Please read the PC world article at the above link for more details.
The mail contains an HTML attachment with a JavaScript component that, when clicked on by an email reader, can send you to web sites selling everything from pharmacy prescription medications to fake anti-virus programs. Often these programs install a backdoor Trojan so your machine can be accessed from the web without you knowing, and then scanned for identity and financial information or added to a bot-net for spamming or denial or service attacks.
Some of the emails are designed to look like an undeliverable mail announcement, in an attempt to more easily deceive recipients into clicking on the malicious link or attachment.
Spam filtering provided as part of your Internet Security Suite or as part of MS Outlook 2003, 2007, or 2010 can help block these attacks. Third party spam filtering from your email service provider, or products like Barracuda or Postini can also be effective. The best defense is simply to NOT CLICK ON AN ATTACHMENT OR HYPERLINK in an email unless you know who it is from and you were expecting to receive it.
Share
SEP
About the Author:
I am a cybersecurity and IT instructor, cybersecurity analyst, pen-tester, trainer, and speaker. I am an owner of the WyzCo Group Inc. In addition to consulting on security products and services, I also conduct security audits, compliance audits, vulnerability assessments and penetration tests. I also teach Cybersecurity Awareness Training classes. I work as an information technology and cybersecurity instructor for several training and certification organizations. I have worked in corporate, military, government, and workforce development training environments I am a frequent speaker at professional conferences such as the Minnesota Bloggers Conference, Secure360 Security Conference in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, the (ISC)2 World Congress 2016, and the ISSA International Conference 2017, and many local community organizations, including Chambers of Commerce, SCORE, and several school districts. I have been blogging on cybersecurity since 2006 at http://wyzguyscybersecurity.com