Phishing A Growing Problem
Published: Friday, March 11, 2005 Online-Casinos.com
PHISHING A GROWING PROBLEM
Highest ever number of attacks in January
Players beware! NewsFactor reports that the Anti-Phishing Working Group
(APWG) in the USA has released a study on recent phishing activity, noting that
the number of phishing emails has grown by 42 percent in January.
According
to the watchdog organisation, almost 13,000 new and unique phishing e-mails were
reported to the APWG, putting the number of attacks at their highest level ever.
The group also noted that the number of unique phishing Web sites has increased
in the last three months, from 1,740 in October to 2,560 in January, representing
a 47 percent rise.
The U.S. continues to be the top location for phishing
sites, the group noted, followed by China and Korea. Malicious Web sites frequently
attempt to install keylogger programs, most likely for password theft. The sites
take advantage of known browser vulnerabilities to install the programs on a user's
site.
The number of company names being used in phishing attacks also
has increased. When phishing first began, Citibank was the main target, as phishers
attempted to convince users that they were acting on behalf of the financial institution.
But more recently, many other brand names are used in a similar fashion.
Phishers succeed in convincing up to 5 percent of online users to respond,
making them vulnerable to identity theft and financial loss, according to the
APWG.
The sharp rise in phishing activity highlights a serious problem,
said Dave Jevans, APWG chairman. "What's going on is alarming, and it poses
a danger to users," he said. "We need user education, but that's not
all that has to be done."
Phishers pose a particular problem, Jevans
added, because they're highly organized and motivated by money -- unlike typical
virus writers. "Phishers are very technologically savvy, and they'll try
anything if they think it will work," he remarked.
