Smarter Spammers (Internet 101)

I got a call today, from the office through the wall from me, asking about an email from Apple or whatever with a .zip file attached. Thankfully they’d sussed it was spam, this time.

A few months back, they didn’t. Clicked the Zip file, which was malicious code that started/joined a botnet and our IP got blacklisted all over the globe.

I had to explain to some staff that most .zip files, a number of .pdf, .rar files and so on were spam. They didn’t know.

Apparently they thought that HMRC really were sending them a refund and that they had to open the file to get that.

This week we’re rejecting (again) thousands of messages with dodgy attachments that are supposedly from Apple, Ebay, Paypal, HMRC and Intuit (Quickbooks) to name but a few. It’s all spam. It’s all malicious worms or code to take control of your PC, steal your connection or worse, steal your financial details such as CC details, bank details and so on.

I mention it because there’s been a number of service agents the past few months that have obviously clicked the files or a link to buy a nice Nigerian princess, oil rights or blood diamonds at a knockdown price. Who have then been infected with a lovely worm or virus.

If it seems too good to be true, it is. It’s a scam.

Once you get blacklisted you will usually not be able to send email to anyone that matters or at least, has any sort of server level protection.

Any compressed file you get sent from an unverified source, don’t open it.

Blue chip companies do not send compressed files, ever and, if they do then they’re just being dumb. They can host it on a server, give you a link to download it and job done, no risk.

If you get a file you think is even a little bit hinkey (for the benefit of Martin) do not under any circumstances open it without verification. You could lose money, your ability to send email or even your entire identity.

It’s not worth taking the risk that you and you alone are the sole beneficiary of some long lost relatives will, you won Euromillions (but failed to buy a ticket), got a tax refund and whatever else the new breed of scumbags have dreamt up.

K.