Spam-happy shoppers love stolen software

Shoppers are still willing to buy products advertised in spam email, indicating exactly why the problem is unlikely to ever desist. Among the most popular items being sold via unsolicited email is illegal software - in many cases adding to the number of laws being broken by the sellers.

According to figures from Forrester Research a staggering 22 per cent of UK online consumers have bought software through spam.

The problems with this kind of sale in particular are manifold. Users are encouraging the spammers to keep sending bulk mail by buying from them. They are also in breach of software copyright and furthermore by buying software which is most likely pirated and not produced with much quality assurance they are very likely to expose themselves to viruses and spyware bundled with their illegal goodies.

Ironically it is the very Trojans which can come bundled in with pirate software that help create the networks of compromised machines abused by spammers.

Alyn Hockey, product director at Clearswift, said: "Who knows what you're getting when they buy a piece of software from these emails. There could be anything on there."

Hockey stressed that even if users aren't worried about the copyright implications of pirated software they should certainly take notice of the security threat of installing it.

Ironically, some of the most common software suites being sold via spam offer spam protection, anti-spyware and pop-up blocking software - "the current hot topics" and the very problems users are likely to be encouraging through their purchase, said Hockey.

The Forrester survey, conducted on behalf of the Business Software Alliance, across six countries and involving more than 6,000 respondents revealed there is still a long way to go before there is enough of a financial disincentive to send spammers in search of alternative employment.

"The only guaranteed way to stop the spammers is by hurting them in the pocket," said Clearswift's Hockey. "But by buying from them users are giving them money and helping them to maintain their business and their lifestyle. They can be blocked

The survey also revealed that more than 90 per cent of UK online consumers receive spam. Although there will be large variations in the amount of spam received by these consumers it shows the problem now affects almost anybody connected to the internet.

Before making a purchase, users are urged to consider the same gangs sending spam offering cheap software are often also involved in identity theft, credit card fraud and also less savoury areas of the internet.

A spokesman for the BSA said: "Many online consumers don't consider the true motives of spammers. In addition to profiting from selling goods and services and driving click through ad traffic, organised crime rings use spam to gain access to personal information."