Internet Gaming and E-Commerce Phishing Assaults Explode

Provider of services and technology, Internet Identity (IID) recently published its phishing Trends Report according to which, phishing attacks based on mimicking gaming and e-commerce websites rose considerably from one year to another across the globe during July-September 2010 i.e. Q3-2010.

States the report that cases in which cyber-criminals impersonated e-commerce websites, other than eBay, to capture sensitive information from unwitting users, rose 317% during Q3-2010 in contrast with Q3-2009. Similarly, phishing assaults mimicking online games rose 347% during Q3-2010 in contrast with Q3-2009.

Expectedly, IID thinks that this trend of increased phishing assaults against gaming and e-commerce websites will carry on in Q4-2010, given the historical trend of the same. For instance, over Q3-Q4 2009, phishing attacks on e-commerce websites, other than eBay, rose 86%.

States IID that in spite of the growing number of gaming and e-commerce website phishing attacks, these sectors are subject to just 7% each of all spoofed assaults. The maximum number of phishing assaults (79%) happens within the money-transfer and banking sectors; 4% occur through social networks and e-mail; and 3% from operations within "other" sectors.

Said Rod Rasmussen, President and CTO of IID, conventionally cyber-criminals exploited ongoing events, leading to a rise in phishing assaults spoofing e-commerce websites on the run up and at the time of the vacation period when shopping was the highest. He further said that as people globally became active participants during the excessive Internet shopping season, there could expectedly be rises in e-commerce assaults worldwide. Help Net Security reported this on November 18, 2010.

Meanwhile, with online gaming, there has been a shift in cyber-crime concentration on areas that are replete with opportunities for earning. Recently, Activision traded 5.6m copies of "Call of Duty: Black Ops," an online game for $360m on November 9, 2010, the very first day it was launched, establishing a record single day earnings in favor of music, movies or any other media.

Further, several of the e-commerce assaults, lately, targeted Chinese Internet shopping and auction site Taobao. IID anticipates that these assaults will keep increasing as online crooks seek to attack a growing Chinese middle class.

Related article: Internet Threat Volumes Overwhelm Security Companies

» SPAMfighter News - 11/30/2010