Spamming, zombies and spoofing

Spamming
If you don't have effective security measures in place, spammers can infect your computer with malicious software and use it to send spam to other people without your knowledge. This is known as zombie spamming where spam is channelled through your computer to the outside world, so you appear to be the sender.

Computer zombies
Spammers are always on the lookout for computers infected with malicious software through which they can channel their junk mail. This method helps to hide the spam's origin and protects the spammer's identity.

Spoofing
If you are receiving returned emails that look as if they've been sent by you, your address or domain name has probably been misused, or 'spoofed', by a spammer. This means the spammer is pretending to be you by making their messages look as if it comes from your email or website address. The spam does not actually originate from your computer, it just lists you as the sender.

This activity is usually random. Your name or business will not be black-listed as a result of spoofing, as authorities and anti-spam groups who take action against spammers have access to 'header information' that shows that you are not the sender of the spam and are not responsible for it.

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