Security software firmKaspersky Labsays the mass mailing of
MP3 spam is now a potential threat to users.
The spam circulating in MP3 files is so-called stock spam, which
is designed to artificially increase the price of certain stocks by
advertising them.
The e-mails that Kaspersky Lab has detected do not contain any
text. However, the attached MP3 file contains a recording which is
between 25 and 33 seconds long.
If the user opens the file, they will hear a female voice
advertising stocks in a company called Exit Only Inc a move on the
part of spammers to inflate stock prices, and make a profit on
subsequent sales of stock belonging to the advertised company.
This mass mailing appears to be a trial run on the part of the
spammers, says Kaspersky, as the quality of the sound recording is
poor, possibly an effort by the spammers to make the e-mails as
small as possible.
Andrey Nikishin, director of Kaspersky Lab's IT security
outsourcing operation, said, "Users often send each other short
audio files with funny recordings - it seems as though spammers are
banking on the fact that users think these files are worth
listening to."