Receiving spam is never fun. Not only does it clog email inboxes, but it's also an easy way for cybercriminals to plant malware on your computer or trick you into handing over some of your private data.
A recent report released by Internet security firm Sophos reveals the top spam-relaying nations. Combined, computers in these countries were responsible for sending out nearly 60 percent of spamming around the world from January through March of 2012.
Sophos' Graham Cluley points out that a computer owner might not know when his or her device is relaying spam. "The vast majority of spam comes from home computers that have been compromised by hackers, and commandeered into a botnet," Cluley wrote in a blog post explaining the study.
While basic email marketing spam has decreased since last year, according to the report, Cluley noted that, "the number of messages that spread malware or that represent more targeted attempts to phish usernames, passwords and personal information is increasing." In addition, it seems both basic spammers and cybercriminals are using social networks like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterst to spread their messages or malware. For example, AGBeat reported in March, many Pinterest users fell for a scam offering free Starbucks gift cards; however, clicking the pin led users to a scammy survey site, rather than the official Starbucks site.
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