In July 2007, the FTC staff held a workshop titled Spam Summit: The Next Generation of Threats and Solutions, to examine the evolution of spam as a vehicle for malware and phishing, and to develop strategies for mitigating its effects. The Summit convened experts from the business, government, and technology sectors, as well as consumer advocates and academics. The Summit panelists, nearly 50 in number, all confirmed that spam is being used increasingly as a vehicle for more pernicious conduct, such as sending phishing emails, viruses, and spyware. This malicious spam goes beyond mere annoyance to consumers — it can be criminal, resulting in significant harm by shutting down consumers' computers, enabling keystroke loggers to steal identities, and undermining the stability of the Internet.