The vast majority of spam comes from Russia and neighboring countries, say cyber security experts. Groups specialize in different parts of the process so one might just sell email lists, while another will send out an entire blast for a client, figures out ways around spam filters, or handles the money laundering.
“The attackers are getting smarter,” said Jeremy Ventura, a senior security strategist at cybersecurity company Mimecast. “Their tactics and techniques are evolving.”
Proofpoint, which has a product that filters spam messages for companies, says that over the past six months, it has noticed that spammers have been increasingly using Google services like Docs or Drive to host their attacks, surpassing Microsoft, which is also heavily used.
In response, Google’s Grubelich said: “We are deeply committed to protecting our users from phishing abuse across our services, and are continuously working on additional measures to block these types of attacks as methods evolve.” The company says it “may” scan files like Google Docs when they’re shared.
What can you do about it?
Minimizing spam isn’t easy, and getting rid of it completely is likely impossible. The best hope is that the email providers are able to adjust their filters and AI to counter the latest attacks. But here are some steps you can take.
Be security smart: The majority of your spam is likely more annoying than dangerous. Still, use a strong and unique password, and turn on two-factor…
