Spamming
Sending a large amount of restricted electronic messages is illegal. People who create or send electronic spam are called spammers. Spamming is an abuse of electronic messaging systems for sending restricted bulk messages using a computer or a cellular phone. The most popular form of spam is E-mail Spam. Email spam is annoying and dangerous to email users depending on the intention of the sender. Some senders of Spam Emails combined Email Spoofing techniques so that it would not be easy to determine the original email address of the sender. Spam emails are dangerous because they may come along with a malicious link that happens to be a virus or request sensitive information on a web form opened through this link. Other media that are used also include:
Mobile Phone Messaging Spam – SMS spam also referred to so as cell phone spam is a junk message sent to a mobile phone as text messaging through SMS. SMS Phishing also known as Smishing is normally carried out by sending malicious SMS to mobile phone users. The sender may steal your personal information by tricking you into opening a link within a text message to redirect you to a fake web page where you have to input sensitive information like your bank account login details and password or any other information. Know how SMS Phishing or Smishing is carried out by cyber criminals so that you will always be able to recognize a fake SMS intended to harm you or to fraudulently obtain your data.
Classified Ads Spam – Mostly free Classified Ads websites are used by a spammer to post fake or malicious messages that lead viewers to loss of money by investing in or buying their products and services or leading viewers of advert through a URL to their webpage to buy and pay for their fake products and services or a web form link requesting for viewer’s sensitive information. It is also important that viewers of Classified Ads on any Ads website know how to Detect Fake Ads on any classified Ads website. Attackers around the world have used and still use Instant Messaging systems to deliver stuff quickly. Instant Messenger is easier to use for delivering dangerous messages, webpage links, pictures, etc. That may lead your device to crash or be hacked.
Instant Messaging Spam- Instant messaging is the sending of instant messages through a messaging application or web-based between two connected users. Examples of Instant Messaging systems are WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger:
WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are the most popular Instant Messaging systems available almost on every Smartphone in the world. They are being used to send text messages, news, rumors, and updates, and sharing of images, videos, and audio files. Facebook bought WhatsApp a few years back, and now WhatsApp completely belongs to the Facebook company. Facebook company has developed and applied security and privacy features on WhatsApp that stopped spamming as well. Instant Messaging Systems are the most widely used media to deliver malicious and fraudulent campaigns and attackers and cybercriminals around the world are using them because it is instant messaging. Spam messages are sent in the form of news, advertisement, sharing, updates, or rumors and these may contain malicious links that are used to hack mobile devices, request sensitive information, or intend to crash your mobile device. Every mobile device and instant messaging user needs to know how to detect a spam message by watching out for the links included in the message, identifying the sender’s number, and blocking them when notices that it is spam so that the user may not become a victim of the latest virus that crashes mobile phone or victim of Identity theft. Other popular Social Media Instant Messaging Systems include Skype, Viber, WeChat, Google Talk, etc; Spammer utilized them the same way.
Internet Forum Spam- An Internet Forum is also known as a message board, it is similar to a newsgroup. It is an online discussion site on a specific web page where internet users and people hold discussions on a particular topic in the form of writing and posting messages. Messages that are posted should be carefully watched because they may contain harmful links, and attackers persuade readers to click on them to get more information about their post, if these links happen to be harmful then the reader of the post becomes a victim. Knowing how to recognize a harmful link or a fake URL / Website is very easy if the reader of a post could understand URL structure and parameters, and how a linked page is created.
Social Media Spam- Unlike other spam techniques, Social Media Spam is carried out only on social media websites by sending, sharing, or posting unsolicited bulk messages, images, and video files containing links through a spammer’s social media-created and operating accounts. Fake accounts are created and operated by a spammer, spammer makes friends and follows other accounts on the same social media; they follow them to become their friends and these same users are likely to follow them back. After acquiring followers and friends, the spammer will begin to carry out his spamming and illegal activities. Cybercriminals who are spammers may decide to attack friends and other users by hacking their accounts so that the attacked ones will not be able to have access to their accounts anymore. Spammer also sends bulk fraudulent messages, harmful posts, and malicious links created to deliver dangerous malware or that linked to a phishing page to obtain sensitive information like bank account login credit card details, or account passwords. Several rules protect all social media users from spam; it helps every corporate or personal social media user understand how to prevent social media spam.
Network Sharing Spam- Network Sharing Spam is similar to the Usenet system that allows a group of people in a particular network to share any kind of message including embedded and linkable messages. Network members always need to be careful and watch links and files carefully before opening them to avoid Malware Attacks and other malicious intents.
Blogging Spam- Blogging spam is obviously almost the same as search engine spam. Every blogger is all time longing for a quick online presence, the unwise blogger used to copy and duplicate content and keywords with the thought that the more they post the same content or apply the same keywords on different URLs the more they are found online; which is wrong. It is illicit, and the search engine does not respect such action, contents or keywords that are duplicated are restricted to be searchable otherwise all duplicated contents are always redirected to the original one.
Search Engine Spam- Web or Search Spam means excessive manipulation of web contents or keywords to gain search engine rankings, which also makes a website gain more popularity and exposure than how it deserves. Some web authors use these illicit techniques to ensure that their site appears more frequently in search results. It is strongly discouraged and restricted by all search engines and there are penalties associated with the use of such techniques. Sites or Contents from such spammer are excluded from the search engine, but if the contents are actually copied or duplicated contents, then the search engine may sensitively and carefully redirect them to the original content. The following are some illicit publishing that should be avoided: Duplication of pages on multiple URLs, tiny text and unclear or hardly visible text, IP Clocking, redirection from or to hidden pages, duplicating or repeating of keywords on multiple URLs or websites, and Use of keywords not relating to information on-page.
Usenet Newsgroup Spam- The Usenet system is a network that hosts groups in different locations over the Internet. The Usenet system for Newsgroup is similar to the Internet discussion forum. It is also used for message posting from many users in different locations over the internet. Excessive multi-posting and cross-posting are allowed on the Usenet system from different groups on the Usenet network. Spam messages or articles can be sent through the network to another group in the same Usenet network. Messages that are posted should be carefully watched because they may contain persuasive harmful links that may lead to information loss, Malware Attacks, or identity theft. Cybercriminals also utilize Usenet for the distribution or sale of pirated Software, the distribution or sale of Pornographic items, the distribution or sale of hacking tools, the distribution or sale of stolen items like credit cards, computer parts, etc.
It is not easy to stop or control spamming because internet business promoters and advertisers always look for ways to deliver possible large messages at the lowest cost to targeted internet users on the internet. Cybercriminals are always taking advantage of this opportunity to send fraudulent messages to targeted or untargeted internet users. Anonymous online advertisers and cybercriminals send spam messages to the internet and mobile phone users, these messages are very difficult to trace or hold senders accountable for their spam activities over the internet. Spamming is also used as a vehicle to deliver a harmful virus to a target. So, every internet user needs to know how to recognize a spam message on every message they have received.
Preventing spamming requires a combination of proactive measures, security practices, and user awareness.
Here are several strategies to help prevent spam:
- Use Spam Filters:
- Employ robust spam filters provided by your email service provider. Most email services have built-in filters that can automatically identify and divert spam emails to a separate folder.
- Avoid Publishing Email Addresses Publicly:
- Refrain from posting your email address publicly on websites, forums, or social media platforms. Spammers often use web crawlers to collect email addresses from public sources.
- Use Disposable Email Addresses:
- Consider using disposable or temporary email addresses for online registrations, subscriptions, or when dealing with potentially untrusted sources. This way, your primary email remains less exposed to spam.
- Implement Email Authentication:
- Utilize email authentication methods such as SPF (Sender Policy Framework), DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) to verify the authenticity of incoming emails and reduce the likelihood of spoofed or phishing emails.
- Regularly Update Software and Security Solutions:
- Keep your email client, operating system, and security software up to date. Software updates often include security patches that help protect against vulnerabilities exploited by spammers.
- Educate Users:
- Educate users about the risks of spam and phishing emails. Train them to recognize common signs of spam, such as suspicious email addresses, unexpected attachments, or requests for sensitive information.
- Use Strong Passwords:
- Secure your email accounts with strong, unique passwords. Avoid using easily guessable passwords and consider enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) for an additional layer of security.
- Regularly Change Passwords:
- Change your email account passwords regularly to minimize the risk of unauthorized access. This practice can help prevent spammers from gaining control of your email account.
- Unsubscribe Responsibly:
- Be cautious when unsubscribing from emails. Only unsubscribe from reputable and legitimate sources. Clicking on unsubscribe links in spam emails may confirm your email address to spammers.
- Report and Block Spam:
- Report spam emails to your email service provider. Most email clients have options to mark emails as spam. Additionally, block and filter known spam email addresses.
- Use CAPTCHA and Anti-Bot Measures:
- Implement CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart) or other anti-bot measures on forms to prevent automated bots from submitting spam.
- Monitor Email Rules and Filters:
- Regularly check and update your email rules and filters. Ensure that your email client is configured to catch and filter out potential spam based on specific criteria.
By implementing these preventive measures, users can significantly reduce their exposure to spam and enhance their overall email security. Additionally, staying informed about the latest spamming techniques and security best practices contributes to a more robust defense against spam.