According to media reports, officers of the Australian
Communications Authority (ACA) have raided properties belonging to
a company which allegedly sent tens of millions of spam emails.
The Perth company, which has not been named, is suspected of
swamping computers around the country with millions of unsolicited
commercial emails - breaking federal anti-spam legislation. As well
as the company's offices, the home of the company's owner in the
northern Perth suburb of Dianella was also raided. The contents of
computer hard disks and other equipment was said to have been
seized by investigators and computer forensics experts.
The Federal Magistrates Court has ordered the company and its
owner to produce documents and other information about their
activities within two weeks. The ACA says that it acted after
receiving reports from members of the public claiming that they had
received unsolicited spam messages from the company.
"More and more reports are emerging of alleged spammers being
investigated by authorities around the world. The heat is certainly
increasing for anyone who is trying to make a quick buck out of the
internet at the expense of innocent users," said Graham Cluley, senior
technology consultant for Sophos. "Sophos applauds the computer
crime investigators in Australia for showing determination to stamp
out spamming in their country."
Australia's anti-spam legislation came into effect in April
2004, and allows for penalties of up to AU $1.1 million a day for
companies who repeatedly break the law.
Sophos recommends companies protect themselves with a consolidated solution which can defend businesses
from the threats of both spam and viruses; and that users do not
open or reply to unsolicited emails.
Sophos is headquartered in Boston, US and Oxford, UK. More information is available at www.sophos.com.