As predicted in last month’s report, average daily global spam volume increased month-over-month for the first time since August 2010. The average daily spam volume increased 8.7 percent in February. This rise in spam volume also increased the overall spam percentage, as spam made up 80.65 percent of all messages in February, compared with 79.55 percent in January.
On the phishing side, we take a look at phishing attempts using fake SSL. Fraudulent sites are becoming more sophisticated and are using fake, or even basic domain validated SSL certificates to fool visitors. An Extended Validation (EV) SSL certificate, which turns the address bar green and ensures a more rigorous validation process, is conducted to verify the website owner is who it says it is.
To find out more, click here to download the March 2011 State of Spam & Phishing Report, which highlights the following trends:
· Examining “BRIC” for Spam
· 3D Secure Passwords for Recharging Mobile Airtime
· Mass Phishing on Credit Card Services Brand Using Fake SSL
· February 2011: Spam Subject Line Analysis
With horrific events unfolding in Japan, spammers have taken advantage of the disaster to send spam. In next month’s report, we will examine the various messages and tactics they used to trick users.
- Posted by Eric Park, Symantec
