Spammers use Word files to bypass filters
As spam filters get better at weeding out unwanted messages, spammers have started inserting their messages inside Microsoft Word documents and attaching them to e-mails.
On Thursday, content security specialists Marshal warned users to beware of Word documents attached to e-mail messages. Unlike executable files, Word documents are commonly exchanged via e-mail and are usually ignored by spam filters.
Bradley Anstis, director of product management for Marshal, told ZDNet Australia that spammers have traditionally avoided sending unwanted messages in a Word -- or similar document -- file because the message sizes are relatively large.
