What is Spam? Spam is unsolicited junk email or instant messages. It can be used to advertise products and services, for phishing purposes or to drive recipients to compromised or malicious websites. Spam accounts for over 95% of all email traffic worldwide.

Spam uses social engineering, techniques that manipulate people into performing specific actions - like clicking on a malicious file or URL or responding with personal information. Much of today’s spam uses political and social headlines, offerings of discount pharmaceuticals and adult content.

Why should you care?

Besides being an annoyance, spam can fill up your personal email box or company email server. Cybercriminals utilize spam to infiltrate PCs with spyware, adware and other malware.

How to Protect Yourself

Keep your PC current with the latest software updates and patches.

• Apply the latest security updates and patches to your software programs and operating systems and enable automatic updates where possible. Since cybercriminals typically take advantage of flaws in the software to plant malware on your PC, keeping your software current will minimize your exposure to vulnerabilities.

Protect your PC with security software.

• Install an Internet security suite like Trend Micro™ Internet Security that includes spam filtering and blocking as well as anti-malware and anti-spyware capabilities. Keep security software up-to-date.
• Install a free tool, such as Trend Micro Email ID, to help you identify legitimate emails.

Protect yourself and your PC

• Do not provide personal information to unsolicited requests for information.
• Beware of unexpected or strange-looking emails and instant messages (IMs) regardless of sender. Never open attachments or click on links in these emails and IMs. If you trust the sender, scan the attachments before opening.
• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If you suspect an email is spam, delete it immediately. Reject all IMs from people whom you don’t know.