internet security tHreAt rePOrt GOVernMent 2013

p. 42
Symantec Corporation
Internet Security Threat Report 2013 :: Volume 18
MaLWaRE, SPaM, aNd PhIShINg
data
Spam
Spam rates declined for a second year in a row, dropping from
75 percent in 2011 to 69 percent of all email in 2012. In 2011
we were reluctant to call this decrease in spam a permanent
trend. Botnets can be rebuilt, new ones created. But several
factors appear to be keeping spam rates lower than in previous
years.
The takedowns of spam botnets continued in 2012. In March
2012 a resurrected Kelihos botnet was taken down for a second
time. In July the Grum botnet was taken down. While both were
significant spam botnets and contributed to the reduction in
spam, undoubtedly email spammers are still feeling the pain
of botnet takedowns from 2011.
Additionally, pharmaceutical spam continues to decline,
apparently unable to recover from the loss of the major players
in the online pharmaceutical business. 30 Given advancements
in anti-spam technology, plus the migration of many users to
social networks as a means of communication, spammers may
be diversifying in order to stay in business.
This is not to say that the problem of spam has been solved.
At 69 percent of all email, it still represents a significant
amount of unwanted messages.
As email spam rates continue to decline, we see the same social
engineering techniques that have been used in email spam
campaigns increasingly being adopted in spam campaigns and
being promoted through social networking channels.
Top 5 activity for Spam destination by geography
Country %
saudi Arabia 79%
Bulgaria 76%
chile 74%
Hungary 74%
china 73%
Top 5 activity for Spam destination by Industry
Industry %
Marketing/Media 69%
Manufacturing 69%
recreation 69%
Agriculture 69%
chemical/Pharmaceutical 69%
Top 5 activity for Spam destination by Company Size
Organization Size %
1-250 68%
251-500 68%
501-1,000 68%
1,001-1,500 69%
1,501-2,500 69%
2,501+ 68%