JMH said:

Using data gathered by its Postini email security solution, Google estimates that there was less spam this quarter than during the same period last year. Despite this, the quantity of emails carrying viruses has more than doubled. The company also warns of a surge in email attacks using malicious obfuscated JavaScript.

Google's Postini Anti-Spam Engine (PASE) scans over three billion email messages on a daily basis and keeps the inboxes of 50,000 businesses and 18 million business users clean. Using data gathered by the service, the company releases quarterly statistics and alerts about new developments on the spam landscape.

According to the numbers for Q2 2010, there was a 16% increase in spam traffic compared to the first quarter of this year. However, compared to the same period in 2009, the data actually shows a decrease of 15% in junk mail output.

Source -
Google Reports Surge in Spam Using Obfuscated JavaScript - Less junk emails but more email-borne viruses this quarter - Softpedia

Just out of interest, what education level do you need, to be a spammer/hacker?

xXSevenXx said:

Just out of interest, what education level do you need, to be a spammer/hacker?

Looking at it from another angle..........How high is the sky?

In this day and age with the level of sophistication of the systems, and programming in the field.
I would think it boils down to the amount of desire a person would have in order to achieve his or her goals.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was composing, and preforming in front of royalty at the age of five, and in that context a child in kindergarten who had the desire could learn the workings of the cyberworld for good......or bad.

Notice how I put that, for good......or bad. It is an inherent quality of Human Nature to try and do the best you can possibly do, unfortunately for whatever reason(s) a person can fall to the darker side of humanity.

It has been my pleasure to converse, and read some of the postings of thirteen year olds here at W7F who exhibit the mental alacrity of understanding the capabilities of a computer, and its endless possibilities, especially when connected to the WorldWideWeb.

Right now I am waiting to hear from Google on how a spammer can use my address to email me spam. That's what draw-ed me to read this post by JMH.
It shows up in my spam box.....From: me, is that a lucky accident or was it designed that way?

But IMHO, to answer your question......It all depends on the individual.



Ahhhh..............Mozart!

I have had that same problem with Windows live mail having mail sent to me from me But not had that for a long time now.


Steve

Were you able to resolve that situation or did it go away on its own?

Anak.......aka.....Steve

Seems to have gone away on it's own :)


Steve

Darn.....I was hoping you could give me some insight.

Oh well, it's off to the Browsers & Mail forum.

Thank You, have a good day.