 Spam
Flags
Greetings, again I must turn the topic toward spam, phishing, and spyware.
This recently turned up in my travels on the internet...
MessageLabs has issued a warning to Internet users informing them
not to click on the opt-out link in spam emails. They had discovered a
number of messages turning PCs into a spam distribution point.
This means that your PC could actually mail out spam to others. You are
not only the spam-EE - but now the spam-ER.
Being labeled the drag-and-drop javascript exploit, MessageLabs said
the scam uses an Internet Explorer flaw to download an EXE file when the
mouse is scrolled across the malicious domain page, allowing the machine
to be turned into an open proxy that spammers can control.
Users should already know that it is never a good idea to press the 'click
here to remove' link on spam emails as it confirms to spammers that the
email address is real, said senior antivirus technologist for MessageLabs,
Alex Shipp.
I have preached this for quite some time, if ever you get spam, either
forward to uce@ftc.gov, or simply delete it. Never click and reply to
the message - they then know that you're out there.
This latest spam attack, however, presents a double whammy: it
not only opens up the floodgates to endless amounts of spam as the address is sold
to other spammers, but it allows a compromised machine to be used to host
their next spam run while spammers are busy in the background stealing
confidential data, he said.
So, in the never-ending saga of spam, phishing, spyware and bad people,
be careful out there everybody. Use good practices when on the internet,
don't click on links you're unsure of, delete messages immediately if
you don't know what they are. Use Mozilla's Firefox browser, review your
e-mail program for possible alternatives - and of course, ask ETC for
help any time!
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