Social Networking Sites Continue to be Phishers’ Favorite

SpamTitan, manufacturer of e-mail security solutions, recently informed that phishers are getting more tactful in procuring user's personal details from social media communities.

According to a recent survey, 19% of the surveyed users clicked on the link provided in a phishing e-mail, and 3% users admitted that they divulged their personal or financial information. The study also discovered that 23% people are exposed to targeted phishing attacks.

With reference to the findings of the survey, the security firm anticipates that in 2010, phishing attacks are expected to become more effective as well as dangerous, with more sophisticated skills coming into practice. Consequently, such attacks will hamper the service of any extensively used resource by locking up a victim's password.

In addition, according to the security firm, social networks, which may be used to commit identity theft, are particularly vulnerable to phishing attacks. This is because generally members of such sites have a tendency to trust messages send by their friends as compared to randomly sent spam messages.

Security analysts further said that as a regular practice, cyber crooks behind social networking attacks develop forged sites with same URL as the legitimate sites like Facebook.com to steal users' login details. This information is then used to access users' accounts to send malicious messages to their friends, further disseminating the fake sites. Basically, phishers' ultimate aim is to make huge bucks by misusing the personal information stolen by them.

Ronan Kavanagh, CEO, SpamTitan, commented that outburst of social networking sites like MySpace, Bebo and Facebook indicates their extensive use, as people tend to socialize whenever they get time to come online - at workplace, home, or on the move, as reported by EarthTimes on October 5, 2009.

Security experts have, therefore, advised users to be cautious of phishing scams. It is must to adjust the settings of website privacy to protect their profile or identity while they are on social networking sites. Also, users must be selective while adding contacts and restrict access to their profile. It is thus important to educate users regarding possible security risks as well as the current problems.

Related article: SoCal Computer Hack Traces to Watsonville

» SPAMfighter News - 10/23/2009