Comments on: CNN Daily Top 10 spam email shows failure of user education http://www.itwriting.com/blog/803-cnn-daily-top-10-spam-email-shows-failure-of-user-education.html Tech writing blog Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:04:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Vi Wickam http://www.itwriting.com/blog/803-cnn-daily-top-10-spam-email-shows-failure-of-user-education.html/comment-page-1#comment-105162 Vi Wickam Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:09:16 +0000 http://www.itwriting.com/blog/803-cnn-daily-top-10-spam-email-shows-failure-of-user-education.html#comment-105162 The percentage of people with up to date antivirus has definitely improved over time, but I can't tell you how frequently we still see someone who has Antivirus that came with the computer (4 years ago or more) and hasn't updated it. I think that all things considered, this trojan is fairly good. Reasons being: 1. The Links at the top and bottom of the email do go to CNN. 2. The email is formatted to look like a CNN email. 3. The landing page does look like a video player page. 4. They made use of very strong and trusted internet brands - CNN and Flash. 5. People love to watch internet videos, and all of the video links point to the trojan landing page. That said, your points for why it's an easy one ot spot are just as valid. Vi Wickam On-Site Computer Solutions http://www.424help.com Evansville Virus Removal The percentage of people with up to date antivirus has definitely improved over time, but I can’t tell you how frequently we still see someone who has Antivirus that came with the computer (4 years ago or more) and hasn’t updated it.

I think that all things considered, this trojan is fairly good. Reasons being:

1. The Links at the top and bottom of the email do go to CNN.
2. The email is formatted to look like a CNN email.
3. The landing page does look like a video player page.
4. They made use of very strong and trusted internet brands – CNN and Flash.
5. People love to watch internet videos, and all of the video links point to the trojan landing page.

That said, your points for why it’s an easy one ot spot are just as valid.

Vi Wickam
On-Site Computer Solutions
http://www.424help.com
Evansville Virus Removal

]]> By: tim http://www.itwriting.com/blog/803-cnn-daily-top-10-spam-email-shows-failure-of-user-education.html/comment-page-1#comment-105147 tim Mon, 11 Aug 2008 06:06:24 +0000 http://www.itwriting.com/blog/803-cnn-daily-top-10-spam-email-shows-failure-of-user-education.html#comment-105147 Sara, You can't really make them stop; you should be able to set up a filter in your mail client that would send them to a junk mail folder. If you have time on your hands, you could also check the sending IP number in each message, look up which ISP the number belongs to, and report the compromised machine to the ISP. Presuming the ISP is responsible and takes action, that will stop the mails from that particular source. Unfortunately there will be thousands of others; but the subset that have your email address may be manageable. Tim Sara,

You can’t really make them stop; you should be able to set up a filter in your mail client that would send them to a junk mail folder.

If you have time on your hands, you could also check the sending IP number in each message, look up which ISP the number belongs to, and report the compromised machine to the ISP. Presuming the ISP is responsible and takes action, that will stop the mails from that particular source. Unfortunately there will be thousands of others; but the subset that have your email address may be manageable.

Tim

]]> By: Sara http://www.itwriting.com/blog/803-cnn-daily-top-10-spam-email-shows-failure-of-user-education.html/comment-page-1#comment-105143 Sara Mon, 11 Aug 2008 05:32:27 +0000 http://www.itwriting.com/blog/803-cnn-daily-top-10-spam-email-shows-failure-of-user-education.html#comment-105143 How do you get rid of these CNN top 10 emails? my junk email filter is not catching them and I'm getting like 5 a day. I know not to click on anything in the message but is there any way to make them stop? How do you get rid of these CNN top 10 emails? my junk email filter is not catching them and I’m getting like 5 a day. I know not to click on anything in the message but is there any way to make them stop?

]]> By: DairyStateDad http://www.itwriting.com/blog/803-cnn-daily-top-10-spam-email-shows-failure-of-user-education.html/comment-page-1#comment-104988 DairyStateDad Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:44:11 +0000 http://www.itwriting.com/blog/803-cnn-daily-top-10-spam-email-shows-failure-of-user-education.html#comment-104988 Excellent points. Don't underestimate the importance of the "brand." I'm in the news business so the CNN livery was compelling. I was suspicious (and both avoided linking and warned all my friends) because I had never subscribed to a CNN feed, because I'd had a bad virus experience about 8 years ago and learned my lesson, and because I was skeptical enough to check the links and notice the unusual "from" address on the original email. But it looked good enough to me that I felt compelled to warn all my friends. Excellent points. Don’t underestimate the importance of the “brand.” I’m in the news business so the CNN livery was compelling. I was suspicious (and both avoided linking and warned all my friends) because I had never subscribed to a CNN feed, because I’d had a bad virus experience about 8 years ago and learned my lesson, and because I was skeptical enough to check the links and notice the unusual “from” address on the original email. But it looked good enough to me that I felt compelled to warn all my friends.

]]>