Big drop in SPAM volume?

Fri Nov 21 14:20:32 GMT 2008

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Martin Hepworth" <maxsec at gmail.com>
To: "MailScanner discussion" <mailscanner at lists.mailscanner.info>
Sent: Friday, November 21, 2008 1:52 PM
Subject: Re: Big drop in SPAM volume?

> 2008/11/21 John Clancy <john.clancy at businessworld.ie>:
>> Thanks Phil,
>>
>> I remember reading about the shutdown of McColo but I'm amazed that 
>> shutting
>> down just one would generate a 60 odd per cent drop in the volume of SPAM
>> coming in:-)
>>
>> If only it was as simple as shutting down a few others and curing the 
>> whole
>> SPAM problem.
>>
>> Of course it's only a matter of time before the ****ards find another 
>> route
>> :-(
>>
>> JC
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Randal, Phil"
>> <prandal at herefordshire.gov.uk>
>> To: "MailScanner discussion" <mailscanner at lists.mailscanner.info>
>> Sent: Friday, November 21, 2008 11:12 AM
>> Subject: RE: Big drop in SPAM volume?
>>
>>
>>> Yes,
>>>
>>> Apart from a spike on the 18th, yes.
>>>
>>> It's releated to the shutdown of McColo:
>>>
>>> http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/articl
>>> e5183398.ece
>>>
>>> Cheers,
>>>
>>> Phil
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Phil Randal | Networks Engineer
>>> Herefordshire Council | Deputy Chief Executive's Office | I.C.T.
>>> Services Division
>>> Thorn Office Centre, Rotherwas, Hereford, HR2 6JT
>>> Tel: 01432 260160
>>> email: prandal at herefordshire.gov.uk
>>>
>>> Any opinion expressed in this e-mail or any attached files are those of
>>> the individual and not necessarily those of Herefordshire Council.
>>>
>>> This e-mail and any attached files are confidential and intended solely
>>> for the use of the addressee. This communication may contain material
>>> protected by law from being passed on. If you are not the intended
>>> recipient and have received this e-mail in error, you are advised that
>>> any use, dissemination, forwarding, printing or copying of this e-mail
>>> is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error please
>>> contact the sender immediately and destroy all copies of it.
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: mailscanner-bounces at lists.mailscanner.info
>>> [mailto:mailscanner-bounces at lists.mailscanner.info] On Behalf Of John
>>> Clancy
>>> Sent: 21 November 2008 10:38
>>> To: "MailScanner discussion"
>>> Subject: Big drop in SPAM volume?
>>>
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> Is anybody else seeing a big drop off in SPAM volume over the last week
>>> or so? or is it just me?
>>>
>>> I run the email server for a small company (approx 7,500 emails per day
>>> at
>>> peak) and I've been seeing big reductions in incoming SPAM volumes over
>>> the last 10 days.
>>>
>>> The following is taken from the Mailwatch "Total Messages by Date"
>>> report
>>>
>>> Date     SPAM         %
>>> 17/10     1,218         58.0%
>>> 18/10     844             79.7%
>>> 19/10     858             76.5%
>>> 20/10     1,688         66.0%
>>> 21/10     2,163         68.2%
>>> 22/10     2,372         74.4%
>>> 23/10     6,621         87.5%
>>> 24/10     2,162         71.3%
>>> 25/10     1,231         82.7%
>>> 26/10     966             79.2%
>>> 27/10     1,296         75.4%
>>> 28/10     1,733         66.2%
>>> 29/10     1,635         63.2%
>>> 30/10     3,443         78.6%
>>> 31/10     1,335         60.0%
>>> 01/11     1,260         84.3%
>>> 02/11     1,183         85.4%
>>> 03/11     1,417         64.4%
>>> 04/11     1,494         62.4%
>>> 05/11     1,159         60.5%
>>> 06/11     1,238         60.6%
>>> 07/11     1,009         52.6%
>>> 08/11     788             68.7%
>>> 09/11     678             75.3%
>>> 10/11     1,259         59.9%
>>> 11/11     1,213         56.4%
>>> 12/11     428             36.1%
>>> 13/11     363             28.7%
>>> 14/11     343             32.3%
>>> 15/11     327             57.7%
>>> 16/11     301             57.8%
>>> 17/11     448             33.5%
>>> 18/11     490             36.5%
>>> 19/11     422             34.1%
>>> 20/11     387             35.1%
>>>
>>> JC
>>>
>>> --
>>> MailScanner mailing list
>>> mailscanner at lists.mailscanner.info
>>> http://lists.mailscanner.info/mailman/listinfo/mailscanner
>>>
>>> Before posting, read http://wiki.mailscanner.info/posting
>>>
>>> Support MailScanner development - buy the book off the website!
>>> --
>>> MailScanner mailing list
>>> mailscanner at lists.mailscanner.info
>>> http://lists.mailscanner.info/mailman/listinfo/mailscanner
>>>
>>> Before posting, read http://wiki.mailscanner.info/posting
>>>
>>> Support MailScanner development - buy the book off the website!
>>
>> --
>> MailScanner mailing list
>> mailscanner at lists.mailscanner.info
>> http://lists.mailscanner.info/mailman/listinfo/mailscanner
>>
>> Before posting, read http://wiki.mailscanner.info/posting
>>
>> Support MailScanner development - buy the book off the website!
>>
>
> John
>
> http://www.spamcop.net/spamgraph.shtml?spammonth
>
> for a note. As has been posted they managed to get a backup circuit
> going for a few hours and managed to transfer the control centres to
> Russian based servers so expect the botnets to start again anytime
> soon.
>
> -- 
> Martin Hepworth
> Oxford, UK
> -- 

Thanks for that Martin - I knew it was too good to last!

I still have a fond day dream of seeing one of these big spammers being 
hauled into court and pleading guilty to 4 sample offences and asking for 
the judge to take 40 trillion similar offences into consideration :-)

John 