Fraudsters add IM to phishing attacks
Hi! What's your mother's maiden name?
Agentless Backup is Not a Myth
Fraudsters have begun experimenting with introducing IM chats to phishing attacks.
Conmen are trialling the inclusion of IM features into fraudulent e-banking websites. The tactic is designed to trick prospective marks into handing over the answers to secret security questions, thereby giving cybercrims an increased ability to loot compromised accounts.
The so-called "chat-in-the-middle" fraud tactic was discovered by security researchers at RSA in one isolated case involving a US bank, suggesting it's currently at the prototype stage.
RSA explains that fraudsters pose as a representative of a targeted bank’s fraud department during a Live Chat session designed to trick the unwary into disclosing their names, address, phone number and other sensitive information.
Dancho Danchev, an independent security consultant and cyber threats analyst, suggests the service might be combined with multilingual on demand social engineering over the phone services available in underground cybercrime forums for around $9 a call.
The value of a compromised online banking account varies widely, but a recent edition of Symantec's Internet Threat Report suggests that compromised online bank credentials can sell for as much as $1,000, making the investment and trouble of establishing an elaborate polyglot cybercrime call centre potentially worthwhile.
If nothing else, the "Chat-in-the-Middle" approach illustrates once again that cybercrime tactics are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with tech-savvy fraudsters quick to apply the business practices of legitimate organisations to their own illicit activities. ®
COMMENTS
hsbc joins the club
Hsbc have phoned me on 2 separate occasions recently to talk about my account and asking me to provide answers to security questions. When I say " how do I know you're from Hsbc?" they're generally flummoxed but say that I don't have to take the call, so I don't. Silly people, they still don't understand security, do they?
Been like this for a while
I get an occasional call from "Verizon" wireless, claiming that I am on track to running overages. First thing I get with the foreigner on the line is a request for my phone number, my social and something else (can't remember what else it is they want), but basically with it they get free reign to use your account to buy whatever they want.
HaHa
I had this yesterday, my mobile rang "Hi this is your car insurance company contacting you about your new policy, can i confirm who you are by you telling me your date of birth and mothers maiden name", the answer was a very firm "Eerr, no!!".
IT infrastructure monitoring strategies
Requirements Checklist for Choosing a Cloud Backup and Recovery Service Provider
Data control in the cloud
Cloud based data management
Agentless Backup is Not a Myth
