Thu Sep 26 13:00:40 UTC 2024: ## Spammers Turn to Legitimate Websites and Stolen Credentials for Delivery
**San Francisco, CA** – Spammers are constantly evolving their tactics to bypass spam filters and deliver their unwanted messages. A new report from Cisco Talos reveals two increasingly popular methods: abusing legitimate websites and leveraging stolen credentials.
**Exploiting Website Forms:**
Spammers are taking advantage of poorly secured website forms, such as account registration, event sign-ups, and contact forms, to send spam. They exploit poor input validation to insert spam links into form fields, which are then sent to the victim in the confirmation or reply email. This tactic has been observed on various platforms, including Google Quizzes, Drawings, Sheets, Forms, Calendar, and Groups.
**Leveraging Stolen Credentials:**
Cybercriminals are also using stolen credentials to gain access to victims’ email accounts. This allows them to send spam from legitimate mail servers, making it harder for filters to detect. They often use credential stuffing tools like MadCat and MailRip to test usernames and passwords across different platforms, including outbound SMTP servers.
**How to Combat Spam:**
While the anti-spam industry has made significant progress, these new tactics highlight the challenges in combating spam. Here are some steps individuals and organizations can take:
* **Create Unique Passwords:** Use unique passwords for each website and avoid reusing credentials.
* **Use a Password Manager:** Securely store your passwords with a reputable password manager.
* **Educate Users:** Be aware of potential spam messages sent from legitimate forms. Look for suspicious content or links in emails.
**Cisco Talos is actively working to combat these spam tactics by developing methods to identify and block messages sent from stolen accounts. The company also emphasizes the importance of user education and awareness in protecting against spam and other cyber threats.**
First Piper 