Saskatchewan company unknowingly sends millions of SPAM emails

REGINA – A Saskatchewan small business’s server infected with malware sent millions of spam emails, boosting Access Communications to the top router of SPAM messages in Canada for the months of June and July this year.

The CRTC used data from spamrankings.net, which shows a significant rise in SPAM messages sent through internet provider’s network:

May: 77,698

June: 24,333,569

July: 73,488,748

August: 53,939

In total, 85 per cent of all SPAM emails sent in July’s top ten list of SPAM-routing ISPs was sent through Access.

Reports of the SPAM messages were sent to the SPAM Reporting Centre in July. The CRTC’s investigation determined the malware made the server, owned by a computer reseller, join the botnet called “Ebury.”

Botnets are networks of infected computers that are used to perform tasks, such as sending SPAM messages.

Neither the ISP nor the customer were aware the emails were being sent, according to the CRTC.

“This can really happen to anyone,” said Tami Mitchell, marketing manager at Access.

Mitchell stressed that the emails were not sent through its own email system – the cooperative is simply a conduit – and that customers’ internet use is not monitored.

“Their privacy comes first. We don’t look at what they’re doing day-to-day,” she said.

Both Access and the customer took action after being alerted by the CRTC, resulting in a significant reduction in SPAM messages being sent; Access dropped to the 36th spot on the aforementioned list in August.

“They collaborated fully with us, which is our objective is to work with companies to resolve compliance issues and if we don’t have to resort to enforcement actions, that’s even better,” said Manon Bombardier, Chief Compliance and Enforcement Officer at the CRTC.

That means no penalties for either the company or customer. The potential damage done to the recipients of the spam is unknown.