Emailers around the world celebrated a 65-percent reduction in spam in their mailbox last month, but now, according to Symantec, the spam is back. According to Symantec's monthly Start of Spam report, it's already regained most of its previous strength.
On November 11, several network providers shut down McColo.com's Internet access, cutting off spammers' ability to control much of the Rustock and Srizbi botnets. The Symantec probe network saw a 65-percent drop in spam within 24 hours.
But Symantec Manager of Business Intelligence Dylan Morss, recently writing in a company blog, reports that it didn't last. "At this point, spam volumes have slowly crept back up to 80 percent of their pre-McColo shutdown levels," he reports. The cause? "Old botnets are being brought back online and potential new botnets are being created."
Spam is now coming from all over the world, with the bulk originating in Brazil (22 percent), Russia (14 percent), the United States and Turkey (12 percent each), and China and India (11 percent each).
The report also discusses the types of spam going out and, not surprisingly, a lot of it is holiday oriented, promising new watches for Christmas and personalized letters to your children from Santa. Also unsurprising but considerably more depressing, the report notes that the Mumbai terrorist attacks brought out "the worst in spammers." Emails with subjects like"Deadly violence targets Mumbai Hotels" would, once open, hawk discounted medicines.
Image: Symantec
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