US charged as largest spam producer
The United States is the biggest creator of spam emails, according to a new survey by anti-spam and virus protection firm Sophos.
Despite the introduction of anti-spam legislation nine months ago, America tops the table of the world's 12 worst offenders, producing more than 42 percent of all junk email reaching inboxes.
More than 40 per cent of spam is being distributed using 'zombie computers,' which often include corporate or home computers that have unknowingly been hacked or infected by virus writers, says Cluley.
'Almost nine months on from the CAN-SPAM legislation and the United States' attempt to clean up its act appears to have had little impact,' said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos.
'The States is still, by far, the biggest exporter of spam in the world.'
South Korea follows behind the US, with China and Brazil producing similar amounts of spam.
The United Kingdom lags behind other European states, including Germany, France and Spain, producing just over one per cent of the world's junk email.
