Security Experts Discover Random Words Spam

According to engineers at TrendLabs (a research lab of Trend Micro), they received spam messages containing words 'salad' in the first week of May 2010. The amalgamation of random words could be seen in subject line of the spam. In fact, this was deliberately done by spammers to penetrate spam filters used by the users.

The engineers further disclose that this spam messages have an attachment linked in the form a .ZIP file which contains an .RTF file. As per the .RTF definition given by Wikipedia, the abbreviation for RTF is 'Rich Text Format.' It is proprietary document file format developed by Microsoft Corporation in 1987 for cross-platform document interchange and for Microsoft products.

The engineers have said that the actual spam exists in content instead of .RTF file. When a computer user opens the .RTF file, it displays a web link that directs him to a website of Canadian pharmacy. Besides, the users is also given an access to view different adult medicine brands such as Levitra, Viagra, Cialis and a wide range of others.

The discovery of the .RTF files were also identified and reported by Sophos, another security firm, in the last week of April 2010. Talking about the message body of the spam, Sophos had detected three different variants of it. The security company (Sophos) highlighted that all the three variants had random RTF file names and several spam domains were employed to avoid being caught by spam filters.

Interestingly, RTF-based spam is not a new technique. m86, an Internet security firm, detected these spam in June 2009.

In view of rising number of these spam messages and malicious links attach with them, security experts have advised the computer users that they should protect themselves against this and other similar attacks. Always give adequate attention to e-mail messages received by the users.

Apart from the abovementioned advises, the users are asked to avoid clicking on any unsolicited item found in their inboxes. They are asked to keep their systems updated, install all security patches and install legitimate anti-spam filters and anti-virus solutions.

Related article: Securities Push Up A Must For Web Companies

» SPAMfighter News - 5/19/2010