Cloudmark Released Seven Spam Techniques Hackers Use

Cloudmark, an online security company, released a list of seven deadly sins of social networking spam used by the hackers. The list contains all kinds of spam starting from conventional spam to malicious phishing and malware attacks on users' profiles at social networking sites.

The firm also adds that dating spam topped the list. It is a private message, usually from a woman to a male user of social network site inviting him to initiate a romantic relationship.

IM and profile lures acquire the second position on the list. In this scam, hackers appear as authentic friends or new acquaintances interested in knowing the users for luring them to a fraudulent IM chat or profile page.

In addition, redirection to harmful or inauthentic sites also marks on the chart. In this scam, a message is sent to a user cautioning them that their pictures or rumors have been displayed on an external website and urges them to visit the site.

Scams like Nigerian 419 scam are also conventionally seen over mail. Social networking users are attacked with mails warning them to a fraudulent inheritance or access to a rich stranger's fortune.

The report also informs that providing fake jobs are also one of the famous methods included in the list. By sending private messages or wall posts, hackers appear as an employer and provide social network users excellent job offers to commence a conversation that will increase the scope for more scam, malware, phishing and spams.

Another method which marks its entry in the list is competitor social network lure. It has invitations that appear to be from authentic friends through private messages or wall posts calling them to visit unfamiliar social networking websites. Also, hackers try to lure user through the use of religion based spam.

EMEA Head of Technology Services at Cloudmark, Neil Cook, claims that there are preventive measures that users can adopt to protect themselves from being targeted by social networking spam. But the most effective way is for social networking sites to have adequate security measures, as reported by ComputerWeekly on February 9, 2009.

Related article: Cloudmark Warns Against Operators’ Indifference to Hybrid Attacks

» SPAMfighter News - 2/23/2009