Image spam spikes

Image spam is making a comeback, making up almost 22 percent of all unsolicited mail, according to IBM's X-Force research team. Much of the spam involves messages pushing pharmaceutical products, researchers Ralf Iffert and Holly Stewart said Monday. Two years ago, most image spam, in which the payload is carried in an embedded image, focused on stock trading, but that is no longer as lucrative. The focus on drugs is likely a way to prey on people who seek help in dismal economic times, the researchers said. — CAM