Awareness of phishing 'on the rise'

2010-01-22

Consumer awareness of phishing doubled between 2007 and 2009, with the number of people who reported falling prey to this attack increasing six times, research has indicated.

RSA's 2010 Global Online Consumer Security Survey of more than 4,500 consumers aged between 18 and 65 showed that 89 per cent reported concerns caused by the threat that phishing poses. Almost a third (29 per cent) said they had been a victim of a phishing scam.

The research also revealed that almost two-thirds (65 per cent) of people who are members of social networking sites claimed to be less likely to interact or share information because of their growing security concerns.

Meanwhile, 81 per cent of those using social networking websites reported anxieties about the safety of their personal data online.

"Fraudsters continue to fine-tune their array of tactics that result in millions of computers becoming infected with Trojans and other malware," commented Christopher Young, senior vice-president at RSA, the security division of EMC.

"These online criminals are adept at social engineering with at-the-ready phishing attacks that are launched within moments of breaking news about popular celebrities, professional athletes or serious global events," he added.

Other results from the survey indicated that people using online banking websites showed more worries about the theft of their personal data than those using healthcare portals and government websites.

There was a consensus among 59 per cent of the respondents that their identities should be better protected than a simple username and password on social networking sites. Nine in ten said they are willing to use a stronger form of security if offered.

Perimeter E-Security recently named malware as its number one threat to companies this year. It placed malicious insiders in second and vulnerability exploitation in third. So it seems there is plenty for companies to look out for online in 2010.

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