MP3 spam makes a comeback

A new spam attack utilizing MP3 files is currently making the rounds.

According to researchers at MessageLabs, the attached sound files to advertise online pharmacy services.

The company said that in each message, the title of the sound file is the same and advertises Viagra. Upon opening the message, the user hears a sound clip advertising the pharmacy site.

Though the message itself contains no attack code and the run is believed to be a regular spamming operation, the attack is catching the attention of security experts. MessageLabs senior researcher Paul Wood noted that the technique of sending spam in MP3 files is somewhat dated and has largely fallen out of favour.

"Today of course, we still see various file formats being used in spam messages, but not nearly as much as in 2007 and 2008," Wood noted in a blog posting.

"The favored approach now is to include a hyperlink that leads to spammers' websites."

:story: Full story: V3.co.uk