Re: Spam is funny!

[Nick FitzGerald <nick () virus-l demon co uk>]

Shaun wrote:

> One trend I've noticed recently is that spammers appear to be tailoring
> the subject headers to individual recipients. I'm not talking about the
> crap where they stick your name in the subject, it seems they're getting
> much more specific, and perhaps tracking where they picked up an email
> address to begin with and which sort of subject lines might pique the
> recipient's interest. 
>
> I receive a lot of spam where I glance at the subject - even if SA has
> tagged it - and actually have to wonder whether or not it's a legit
> message, because the subject is relevant to my interests. A quick
> example,
>
> Subject: The Redirect requests to SSL port option allows you to redirect
> requests to the specified SSL port.
>
> I do a lot with SSL, so naturally I opened up that email just to see
> what the heck they're on about. Of course it turns out to be a stock
> spam for CYTV. But I get a lot of spam now with unix-ish, programming,
> or other geek related subject lines that I have to take a look at
> because they _could_ be legit. 

I've seen a lot of spam lately (last 6-8 weeks -- maybe more) using, as 
their "Subject" lines similar such "sentences" from online copies of 
(mostly) Linux-ish books and "how to" articles (and often as the hash-
buster text in the message body).  This may be loosely targeted -- we 
quite possibly subscribe (and post?) to several similar mailing lists 
and the use of our addresses _in this particular spam_ may be from 
harvesting such lists or their web archives -- or it may be that some 
spammer thinks (or knows from monitoring his RoI) that such "techno-
speak goobledegook" Subject: lines work better (non-tech folk _may_ 
have been conditioned by much poorly-considered "tech support" to "dumb 
down" when anyone starts "talking techie" at them...).


Regards,

Nick FitzGerald

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