Virus writers want spam cash

Virus writers have turned their attentions to making money out of the lucrative business of spam, according to a new report.

Security company MessageLabs says virus writers have cottoned on to the fact that while distributing viruses can wreak havoc, it makes them little cash.

The MessageLabs Intelligence Email Security report, which analysed email security trends during the first half of 2004, found that the majority of viruses intercepted over those six months had the potential for spam distribution, including the MyDoom, NetSky and Bagle viruses.

Paul Wood, chief information security analyst at MessageLabs, said: “The script kiddies that used to be content with causing chaos and enjoying their fifteen minutes of fame have realised spam’s potential earning power. They are using their virus writing capabilities to hijack computers and create networks of zombie machines that send millions of spam emails.”

“The preferred method of spamming is now via these botnets [networked computers] and the industry will pay big bucks to hire them out, so it has become cool to spam.”

According to the MessageLabs report, 63.5 per cent of all emails since January have been spam, up from 37.9 per cent during the same period in 2003. One in every 12 emails have contained a virus, up from one in 208 in 2003.

Phishing scams are also on the up. MessageLabs has intercepted an average of 250,000 phishing emails a month so far in 2004, compared to just 14 phishing-related emails back in August 2003.