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Spam with Opera signatures

Friday, August 1, 2008 10:04:39 AM

Advisory: Spam attacks from faked Opera e-mail signatures

Opera Software has recently detected several spam attacks using faked e-mail signatures that appear to come from our company and our products. These e-mails attempt to use our name to gain the trust of recipients and then entice them to click links that install viruses on their computer.

The easiest way to identify such messages is unsolicited mail from unknown senders containing subject lines about current news subjects, major accidents or celebrities. They also contain a signature line referencing Opera's e-mail client. Please do not click any links and delete the message from your computer immediately.

We also recommend all users of the Opera mail client to update, change or remove the default signature. That can be done in several short steps:

Visit Tools: Mail and Chat Accounts
Select your e-mail account
Click "edit"
Change the signature under the Outgoing tab

Opera users are protected from visiting virus distribution pages through our partnership with Haute Secure. Haute Secure also offers malware protection plug-ins for both Internet Explorer and Firefox that can be downloaded from http://www.hautesecure.com/.

Though we do maintain a product notification e-mail list at Opera, recipients must opt-in and our policy forbids any reselling of this or any identifiable information to third parties of any kind. Our privacy policy is online at http://www.opera.com/privacy/.

These attacks trespass on our brand and undermine the trust we have worked hard to build with both Opera users and non-Opera users around the Web. We take this seriously, and hope this notice will help raise greater awareness of and vigilance against these attacks.

Safe surfing,

The Opera team

Comments

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Tamil # Friday, August 1, 2008 10:07:08 AM

(101)

DaniRAZR # Friday, August 1, 2008 10:19:08 AM

YupZ...

Matt Coxcoxy # Friday, August 1, 2008 10:29:43 AM

\o/

cool trickABHINAV202020 # Friday, August 1, 2008 10:47:52 AM

MAY be microsoft is doing it. just may BE.

Tamil # Friday, August 1, 2008 10:51:50 AM

Shaunak DeShaunak # Friday, August 1, 2008 11:13:23 AM

Dacotah # Friday, August 1, 2008 11:28:52 AM

4. Where is the signature under the Outgoing tab and change it to what?

Khadra Warsame Penh Neangkhadwar_neang_666 # Friday, August 1, 2008 11:50:54 AM

gotten those mailing too but fast they'll all be going out

A. DudaADuda # Friday, August 1, 2008 12:18:44 PM

Yes, I've been recieving some spam mail with Opera's default signature line.
Shame

Daned4n3 # Friday, August 1, 2008 12:19:46 PM

I got a few of those

But Opera mail's spam filter actually recognized them as spam

If you look at it, this is actually flattering for Opera. This means that (atleast by what spammers believe) Opera's mail client signature is at least common enough to fool spam filters.

Opera should point out why changing the signature is advisable - because spam filters could erroneusly mark them as spam (false positive)...

Andrew NguyenSouthernCross # Friday, August 1, 2008 1:12:05 PM

It's Firefox...they know we're a threat.

...I've never recieved any...yet.

FierceDeity # Friday, August 1, 2008 1:17:41 PM

didn't get any of those, but i hardly ever get any spam, i keep my accounts seperate and hardly ever give my email address out.

this is a pretty dirty trick and i hope it all get's handled well enough by everybody.
thanks for the warning opera

Erick Omar DelgadoDjehuty # Friday, August 1, 2008 5:41:15 PM

Damn Microsoft, I mean Spammers ...

Soumitrasoumitram4u # Friday, August 1, 2008 7:12:36 PM

KarenNerak # Friday, August 1, 2008 8:12:31 PM

yeeliberto # Friday, August 1, 2008 9:35:51 PM

what the heck with my spam trackbacks, those people...

cool trickABHINAV202020 # Friday, August 1, 2008 11:08:00 PM

microsoft plot finally foiled by opera!!
damn microsoft.

Nathalie AngelesAngeles Nathalie # Friday, August 1, 2008 11:45:11 PM

Merci de nous avoir prévenu. C'est quand même dommage, j'éspère ne pas avoir de spam.

Ohmarow Conco Tanoychie darkHeartLord # Friday, August 1, 2008 11:46:05 PM

OMG do this ppl have nothing better to do then f**k with us
get a mother f**king life u noobs spammers
ahhhhhh >_< i hat spam to no end
am going to copy and past this and add it to my operas army
but yeah this ppl need to get a damn life and leave us alone

GOT A JOB U FAGES MAYBE U WONT BE SO BORD

sorry 4 my french

--Rozy27 # Saturday, August 2, 2008 12:57:13 AM

Hey spammers! U cant crack in that easily. Afterall, we r members of OPERA!

Uncle MickMickeyjoe-Irl # Saturday, August 2, 2008 1:24:06 AM

There's a link on www.opera.com to a press release about the spam problem, but it's hard to find.

I think it should be more prominent as that's where non-OC members will go for information.

Jesús # Saturday, August 2, 2008 2:12:48 AM

Suck¡

Opera, you are greatest than this fuck trouble

Opera, you count with me

Ohmarow Conco Tanoychie darkHeartLord # Saturday, August 2, 2008 2:28:55 AM

i got it the modes here should to do what the modes on gaian do make there names come up in a coler like blue or red this way we'll know if that person is a mod or not and we can get these a hole fake mods and off of my opera

Seantao2005 # Saturday, August 2, 2008 4:55:04 AM

Well, just checked my mail, and no spammer mail. Don't think Microsoft would be to blame here, it's just not good business practice. Obviously all the spam, has to be from a hacker. Probably from some one using a spam bot. Although wouldn't surprise me if it was Microsoft.

Funny thing, I use to use IE, how ever when IE first updated itself. The installation, fouled up IE, and I've been using Opera ever sense. It fixed itself eventually, and messed up again. LOL. What part of I don't us IE, don't they understand.

So if it is Microsoft, then obviously it's someone who hacks as well. GRRRRR. Kinda feel sorry for those of you who are spammed by this person. The net is full of these jerks. I hate 'em..

Jesús # Saturday, August 2, 2008 6:03:30 AM

Please, dont use bad this word "hacker"...

The persons that make this atacks was "lammers".

Trash of the net.

Not hackers.

The hackers are good persons, not trash as "lammers" or "crackers".

The Last SheikahTheLastSheikah # Saturday, August 2, 2008 2:43:45 PM

Hackers aren't always good people, but they're not always bad people either. It's just someone who can do cool stuff with computers that some people don't want them to. And it means they can dodge bullets.

Peterpman45 # Saturday, August 2, 2008 4:02:08 PM

Fee, Fi, Fo, Fum .......

Ohmarow Conco Tanoychie darkHeartLord # Saturday, August 2, 2008 10:00:20 PM

hes got a points but most call then hackers cuzz they do the same thing but one good one bad

Mark Regoouttamyhead # Saturday, August 2, 2008 11:22:46 PM

The last Sheikah has a point, Hackers can be either good or bad, But commonly, if they know how to hack well, then companies like Microsoft, or NORTON, Hire them, to provide details on these hacks, then the Firewall, or w.e program can be updated against the new hack.
I call these Idiots Lame. Really, they have no life, so they have to go and Mess with programs and services. Get a job please

Peterpman45 # Sunday, August 3, 2008 4:27:17 PM

Daned4n3 # Sunday, August 3, 2008 5:11:13 PM

Moderator: Removed off topic comment

joeljoel.lasrado # Sunday, August 3, 2008 5:53:44 PM

everybody are correct. i had received it 2 months before. it had no virus. the email was suspicius. the was from opera when i tried to open their profile opera couldn't find it.

cool trickABHINAV202020 # Sunday, August 3, 2008 7:09:56 PM

this juliet above is really a spammer! he had sent hundreds of private messages 2 months ago
to many users saying he is girl. opera had banned him. now he has again made another profile . beware of spammers and looters like juliet, and yes microsoft.

Uncle MickMickeyjoe-Irl # Sunday, August 3, 2008 10:04:26 PM

So, why am I the only one to report it?

cool trickABHINAV202020 # Monday, August 4, 2008 3:34:05 AM

what?

Uncle MickMickeyjoe-Irl # Monday, August 4, 2008 12:12:50 PM

There was some comment spam a few posts above, which I reported.

The moderators banned the user which deletes all their comments, so it was removed.

The missing comment was just before this one.

Aleksanderaaas # Monday, August 4, 2008 12:26:00 PM

I removed all related content spam.

Ilgaz # Monday, August 4, 2008 9:09:54 PM

Opera should release new build with "If user didn't change default signature, remove it". That would be a fix.

Signatures are really annoying for some people and it takes great amount of work when you use Opera mail full featureset. E.g. 5-6 mail accounts here.

Mauriciomrmxo # Tuesday, August 5, 2008 5:11:51 AM

I never had this problem spamm

blw # Tuesday, August 5, 2008 9:53:41 AM

I also received a couple of those in the last few weeks. The first ones all had charset="koi-8r" in their Content-Type header (making it easy to create a SpamAssassin rule), but later on they had other charsets as well.

Anyhow, why would one use a signature at all if one doesn't customize the default sig?

Muhamad Lukmanluq_man_kla_x # Thursday, August 7, 2008 1:15:35 PM

Ha...?, I don know it. Becouse In Opera has can with any link, The big link and dificul system operator. "Maby any lingk in ilegal product".

Denis Edward Chesneyflotsam22 # Thursday, August 7, 2008 4:53:32 PM

Why was my comment removed?
Some comments and personal messages just 'disappear' who is responsible for this mini outrage. Is it the spammer taking revenge on me because I was close to revealing his/her identity?

Muhamad Lukmanluq_man_kla_x # Thursday, August 7, 2008 5:24:14 PM

The spamper?, I think if we use massanger to sign in bevore to operating we recuest in internet. And than no are error any on your componen computer, The spamp can be service prom massangger administrator/service. I known any massanger in internet. ex: Window massanger/Yahoo Massanger. I like to doing in Internet with them. "I use Window massangger, And I am sorry if your dont like it". After massangger sign in than i am going with your wab sarch, ex: GOOGLE. Dont forget u recuesting the error sistim to they replay/service/they cluese systim.

Denis Edward Chesneyflotsam22 # Thursday, August 7, 2008 5:27:42 PM

Thanks for your very valuable and sound advice. Have a good day.

Muhamad Lukmanluq_man_kla_x # Thursday, August 7, 2008 5:31:14 PM

Thank's your again to your nice.....

Denis Edward Chesneyflotsam22 # Thursday, August 7, 2008 5:35:26 PM

Thank You, youre Welcome

Muhamad Lukmanluq_man_kla_x # Thursday, August 7, 2008 5:45:51 PM

*I think microsof group doing that to service they instalation, becouse they have any program to chakching again they software. and than they like up dateing any program wich they have in internet comonity. "I am sure they dont like is they program is bad". Do your like use microsoft program?. Yes.."i like it".
*"The clock", maby we clock internet is assingkron with wolrd clock. Way we will get latter or hot mael wich we want without spamp?.

Dransem # Thursday, August 7, 2008 7:45:46 PM

For every positive action, there must be trials to undo it and that is where the hackers come in. They challenge us to think one step ahead. Think about it.......