Blog

Insights on Data Security & Threat Intelligence

Portuguese MasterCard Phishing

While Commtouch technology automatically blocks billions of spam and phishing messages from ever reaching customers anywhere in the world, Commtouch staff review samples of the messages to analyze the way social engineering is being used within different cultures. In this recent attack focused on Brazil, credit card customers weren’t threatened

Read More >

Spammers return from holiday – levels shoot back up

After one of the quietest spam periods in Commtouch recorded history, spammers are clearly back at work. The quiet period neatly matches the Christmas-New Year holiday season but also seems to add the Russian New Year and Russian Orthodox Christmas (Friday 7th of January). Outbreaks resumed on the 9th. The

Read More >

Spam declines 30% in Q4 2010

In October we reported an 18% drop in global spam levels (comparing September and October). This was largely attributed to the closure of Spamit around the end of September. Spamit is the organization allegedly behind a fair percentage of the worlds pharmacy spam. According to reports in October, the reasons

Read More >

You’re hired! (as a money laundering mule)

Commtouch’s friends and family aren’t immune to receiving suspect messages. The Commtouch team was recently asked to check out an email that a friend had received. The email offered her a job for which she did not apply.  So what’s the position? – Payment Processing Agent – to help secure

Read More >

Commtouch Mail Sort feature to tidy inboxes worldwide!

Last week we announced the release of our latest software version. The release includes a new feature called “Mail Sort” – the idea is that our Anti-Spam product will now flag messages that are legitimate, but mass mailed – like newsletters. Our partners can then offer “priority mail” functionality to

Read More >

Compromised Rabbi account sends Christmas Spam

Cybercriminals are the ultimate marketers, trying hundreds – if not thousands – of different ways to appeal to their victims, from using trusted brand to hijacking the email accounts of our friends and colleagues, increasing the likelihood that we’ll open their spam, malware, or phishing emails. Of course, the sender

Read More >

Spammers vote Facebook – “Application of the year”

Hot on the heels of the announcement by Time magazine of Mark Zuckerberg as “person of the year”, “WESPAM” has hailed Facebook as “Application of the Year”. We once again spoke to Mr. BuyVi@ GraNow – head of WESPAM (Worldwide Excess Senders of Phony Applications and Mail). WESPAM claims to

Read More >

Want personalized spam from Santa?

Jolly ol’ St. Nick is not pleased. Cybercriminals have hijacked Santa Claus. If a letter from Santa is on your to-do list, we remind you that many legitimate websites offer to send these letters. We recommend you seek them out and not trust the ones that come to your inbox.

Read More >

Your new year’s resolution – avoid keygen and serial number sites

We came across this website offering cracks, keygens and serial numbers for various applications. As a rule, we advise users to avoid these sites as they clearly will want something in return for the “free information” (not to mention software copyright issues). The website http:/ /xpokey.com (provided by Worldstream, Netherlands)

Read More >