97% of all emails sent are spam

A Microsoft security report has found that 97% of all emails sent are spam emails, which cover a wide range of subjects and advertisements. The report also showed that Office document attachments and PDF files are increasingly being targeted by hackers. The worldwide ratio of infected machines is 8.6 to every 1,000 uninfected machines, with the UK average being 5.7 to every 1,000 uninfected machines. However, Microsoft is encouraging people not to worry about the high levels of spam, as “the majority of that never hits your inbox” (Cliff Evans, head of security and privacy for Microsoft in the UK).

This report has highlighted the need to keep anti-virus software, anti-spam software, operating systems, web browsers and applications up to date with the latest versions. If you do not have anti-virus software or require advice on how your computers could be protected from such viruses, do not hesitate to contact Plum.