Security news
Security news30 January 2007
Korean programmers arrested for sending 1.6 billion spam emails Duo suspected of stealing information from 12,000 internet users
Spammers blast unwanted emails to billions of internet users
Experts at SophosLabs™, Sophos's global network of virus, spyware and spam analysis centers, have welcomed the arrests of two men suspected of being involved in one of South Korea's biggest spam incidents.
The men, one aged 20 and the other 26 years old, are alleged to have broken the law by sending out 1.6 billion spam emails between September and December 2006. South Korean authorities in Seoul claim that the duo, both computer programmers, obtained personal and financial information from 12,000 victims which they then sold to other firms.
"South Korea was revealed in Sophos's recent security report as the third-worst nation in the world for relaying spam, and the authorities should be congratulated for cracking down on spammers based in the country," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos. "Spammers are battering inboxes in their attempt to make fast money, sell fake goods, and - in the worst cases - steal identities."
In May 2006, South Korean authorities arrested a man suspected of running a network of zombie computers alleged to have sent 18 million spam messages a day.
"South Korea is admired around the world for its impressive internet infrastructure, but with the widespread adoption of broadband net connections comes the danger of spam, spyware and malware," continued Cluley. "The courts in South Korea need to send a strong message to abusers of the internet that their criminal antics will not be tolerated."
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About Sophos
Sophos enables enterprises all over the world to secure and control their IT infrastructure. Sophos's network access control, endpoint, web and email solutions simplify security to provide integrated defenses against malware, spyware, intrusions, unwanted applications, spam, policy abuse, data leakage and compliance drift. With over 20 years of experience, Sophos protects over 100 million users in nearly 150 countries with its reliably engineered security solutions and services. Recognized for its high level of customer satisfaction and powerful yet easy-to-use solutions, Sophos has received many industry awards, as well as positive reviews and certifications.
Sophos is headquartered in Boston, US and Oxford, UK. More information is available at www.sophos.com
