Spam levels drop by 80% worldwide

[Kudistos Megistos]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12126880

http://www.symantec.com/connect/blogs/spam-volume-drop-christmas-day



This is very encouraging. We don't know whether spam will stay at this low level, but it's a good sign. Perhaps spam is seen as less profitable nowadays? After all, people are more savvy than they used to be and filters are more effective. Or maybe spammers are moving to facebook in order to target the stupid. In any case, it's some good news to start the year with.

[Opine]

I saw an article about a guy in CA who became a lawyer so he could sue spam companies.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=12479955&page=1

Edit: Found a better link for the same story.

[Vgr]

Lol, I hope that a day we can count spam messages on our fingers, and even being able to trace the spammers. But as you said, it's only good news to start the year with. Hope it will continue to decrease ^^

[Covarr]

But now where will I go if I wanna buy a repl1ca r0lex?

[yoshi314]

actually if you take a look at graph at http://www.symantec.com/business/security_response/landing/spam/index.jsp

it looks like spam/total messages ratio is constant. only the amount of total messages has dropped.

maybe people are abandoning email in general?

[Kudistos Megistos]

actually if you take a look at graph at http://www.symantec.com/business/security_response/landing/spam/index.jsp

it looks like spam/total messages ratio is constant. only the amount of total messages has dropped.

maybe people are abandoning email in general?

Spam makes up such a large proportion of email that it's hard to tell anything from that small graph. Actually, it looks like the number of non-spam messages (indicated by the gap between the blue line and the red one) has remained consistent and the reduction in total emails sent has come from the reduction in spam.

[nfitc1]

But I depend on those for my natural mal......l building.....permits.......... yeah!

Seriously though, I think it's just "better" filters and user education. Note that symantic seems to be the one that compiled the results. I think they only get that back from users that wish to participate in the survey. I'm just dubious about the results of this report.

[Bosola]

...People who will presumably be using Norton's antispam tools, have protection and be aware of fishy emails.

[Kudistos Megistos]

...People who will presumably be using Norton's antispam tools, have protection and be aware of fishy emails.

[yoshi314]

no, those people are usually idiots, if they need a machine to identify fishy emails for them.

[obesebear]

...People who will presumably be using Norton's antispam tools, have protection and be aware of fishy emails.

9/10

[Marc]

I admit it.  I've been on vacation since last august and I've hired trained monkeys to do the job of sending SPAM.  Not very efficient these monkeys.

[Vgr]

No, you should take my specials cats which are very efficient. Unfortunately, they began to eat each other. What happens?

[yoshi314]

I admit it.  I've been on vacation since last august and I've hired trained monkeys to do the job of sending SPAM.  Not very efficient these monkeys.

ooh, so that's why spam is looking more and more shakespeare-like.