Symantec names three greatest phishing nations in EMEA in 2008

According to security firm Symantec's EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) Internet Security Threat Report for 2008, released in April 2009, Poland was home to the maximum number of fraudulent websites i.e. phishing sites in the EMEA territory during 2008, accounting for 18% of the territorial aggregate.

This, according to Symantec, represents a considerable increase over 2007, when Poland hosted just 4% of all phishing sites and ranked No.8 among the most phishing website-hosting countries.

France, meanwhile, hosted the second largest number of phishing sites within EMEA during 2008, contributing 11% of the aggregate that increased slightly over 2007, when the country was home to 10% of all phishing sites while being at No.4 during 2007. Moreover, lures aiming at the sector for finance in France during 2008 were at 74%.

Aside Poland and France as the first and second countries respectively, Russia was the third country with the largest total of fraudulent, phishing sites within EMEA during 2008, sharing 10% of the regional total. This was a rise from 2007, when the country ranked No.5 having 8% of all EMEA-based phishing sites. Russia was also home to enormous malicious online activity being the eighth country in it within EMEA during 2008, contributing at 6%. While the country's ranking was the same as in 2007, there was a huge hike in the number of lures aiming at the financial sector from 4% in 2007 to 54% in 2008.

Moreover, while Italy (No.6) and Spain (No.9) continued on the same positions with respect to the most phishing site-hosting EMEA countries at 6% and 5% respectively, Turkey appeared on the list for the first time at No.10 position with a 3% share. During 2007, the country ranked No.11, reports Symantec.

Furthermore, according to Symantec, most brands whose names were exploited in phishing assaults during 2008 belonged to the sector for financial services, being responsible for 79% of all phishing attempts. As a matter of fact, as online banking became popular, phishing attacks increased in number. Moreover, during 2008, Symantec identified 55,389 hosts for phishing websites, where users, clicking web-links within phishing e-mails, were redirected.

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» SPAMfighter News - 4/27/2009