Changed target groups for phishers
26 September 2005
Phisher or ID thieves are traditionally known to attack financial institutions, but lately the target groups seem to have changed. Today phishers are hitting on all forms of organisations, even health care businesses. The war between phishers and anti-phishing groups is tightening. And the potential victim is you.
A recent report from the Anti-Phishing Working Group ( APWG) shows that phishers are spreading their nets and moving away from traditional marque name financial institutions at hitting on a wider base of institutions. Financial institutions that were hit went down with more than 5 % between June and July this year. APWG general secretary Peter Cassidy says that their hope was that financial institutions would gain expertise in thwarting and deflecting phishing attacks so that phishers and their spam based schemes would become ineffective.
Instead phishers have changed targets and are now hitting on smaller organisations and other kinds of businesses.
Security authorities have also found that healthcare organisations are being used to scam users. In other words, be careful if you receive an email from your local doctor, hospital or health insurance company asking you to provide personal information. It might be a phishing attempt.
For you this war means that you should pay extra attention. You can read more about our antiphishing and secure email solutions here.
