07 Apr 2009

Spam 'a big threat' to businesses

Companies are at risk from spam attacks which may contain malicious software, a recent report reveals.

Firms are being urged to bolster filters and security features in order to block potentially-damaging attachments after a study revealed spam is increasing.

Specialist protection software provider MXLogic has released its Threat Forecast and Report, which shows malware increased by over a third in the last month as data thieves stepped up efforts to access confidential information.

The study claims that spam now accounts for 85 per cent of all emails sent, illustrating the need for effective security.

"We expect to see more and more of this in the future, although with some slight changes in the form of new social engineering tactics," the report states.

The company, which provides a Web Defense Service for filtering newly-developed threats, says social networking sites and bogus invoices are further gateways to compromising firms' security.