Posted on 02/16/2006 12:43:15 AM PST by Lurker
A recently revealed image rendering vulnerability related to Windows Meta Files made it easier for phishers to spread software designed for a criminal enterprise, such as identity theft.
The number of sites distributing "crimeware" or software engineered for criminal activity like identity theft or information fraud nearly doubled in December, rising from 4,630 in November to 7,197 the following month, according to a report issued Tuesday, February 14 by the AntiPhishing Working Group (APWG).
APWG Chairperson David Jevans said, "The speed, precision and massive scale by which the phishers were able to identify and exploit this vulnerability for criminal enterprise highlights the fact that the Crime industry has reached a level of efficiency that has the potential to threaten the larger online economy."
Crimeware exploitation can be thought of as an automated form of phishing. According to the APWG, a recently revealed imagerendering vulnerability related to Windows Meta Files made it easier for phishers to spread crimeware.
During the month of December, more brand;spoofing subterfuges were recorded than any other month on record.
The vast majority of those attacks 89.3 percent targeted the financial industry, most of which involved seven major brands.
But Bill just said the big security problem was passwords.
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