Fake Networks Created By Spam
Source: http://gizmodo.com/security-researchers-discover-spammer-list-of-over-711-1798582732
This article begins its discussion by talking about how a hacker was able to collect over 700 email accounts that were open and accessible in a server in the Netherlands. What is unique is the fact that this server is reported to contain the passwords to email addresses in a group where vast amounts of spam is being sent through legitimate accounts. In other words, spam is not being sent from fraudulent accounts, but instead from real email accounts used every day by individuals. Individuals across the world were found receiving emails, in some instances from their very own friends, that contained the Ursnif malware, which has the ability to steal data from the computer’s browser information and software. Because of this, anywhere from passwords, to credit cards, to bank information could have been vulnerable and the fact that this malware was being sent from legitimate accounts makes it very easy to bypass modern day spam filters. In essence, there are a multitude of networks that contains several email accounts, however it does not appear as though all of these networks are interconnected or belong to a massive network altogether. What’s worse is the fact that an individual could receive an email from one of their close friends, only to find it containing malware and having their information breached.
This connects to the discussion of how we would be able to determine that this network violates the triadic closure property. For example, let’s say there are two friends, A and B, and A has a friend C, that is not currently friends with B. The triadic closure property would affirm that there is a strong link between A and B, and because of this, B has a weak link to C. However, we know that this does not apply to this network, because it is unlikely that B randomly sends an email to C. This helps prove that all of these email accounts do not belong to a much larger organized network. In addition, this is very similar to question six from our first homework assignment, which helps detect the spammer account. For example, it is very unlikely for someone, let’s say X, to send an email to someone else, Y, if they have no friends in common or any sort of link whatsoever. While these concepts may seem relatively simple, this is very applicable to the real world, and helps researchers pinpoint loopholes and eliminate them to ensure the safety of individuals using the internet.