Mass targets: evil email with a twist

Meanwhile, CNET is reporting that personalized email attacks are on the rise. The most recent trend involves an illicit campaign that focused on some 500
executives in what is believed to be the first "mass-targeted" malicious software attack, according to security vendor MessageLabs. Targeted attacks generally bypass security measures by addressing emails to a particular person.; these emails usually contain the name and job title of the victim in the subject line. MessageLabs says that on June 26, it intercepted 500 email attacks targeted at individuals in senior management positions at several companies around the globe. The company usually only sees 10 targeted attacks per 200 million emails per day. Chief Investment Officers were targeted in 30 percent of the attacks, while 11 percent of the intended victims were CEOs and 6 percent were CFOs.

For more on mass-targeted email attacks:
- read more in this CNET Article