That fake-pharma spam you got last week might have been the result of a hacker attack on Microsoft. The computer giant revealed that human error led to the compromise of two network servers in a testing lab.
Once the hackers got in, they began configuring the two servers to support more than 1,000 fraudulent pharma Internet sites, says PC World. A network security expert discovered the hack while researching pharmaceutical spam. Russian-based pharma spammers are suspected in a related attack.
Separately, the FDA warning letter targeting 294 illegal online pharmacies reported last week was part of Interpol's International Internet Week of Action, code named Operation Pangea III. The fake pharmacies all appear to be associated with the same individuals and corporate entities located outside the U.S. The FDA also sent notices to the illegal sites' corresponding Internet service providers and domain name registrars.
The action got results: 274 of the 294 sites have been suspended or no longer offer drugs for sale. The FDA is working on the remaining 20.
- see the article
- read the Pangea update release