Johannesburg - Phishing attacks targeting South African bank clients have more than trebled over the past four months, according to the Kaspersky software security company.
“Phishing” is a subterfuge by which bank clients receive emails asking them to provide information about their bank accounts – ostensibly at their bank’s request. The criminals then use the information to withdraw money illegally from accounts.
Kaspersky said it had intercepted more than 209 million network attacks during December and neutralised over 196 malicious programs.
According to David Emm, a senior Kaspersky researcher, it’s frightening to see how credible these emails are, particularly the false tax-repayment emails or requests to log into a particular bank account to confirm a user’s information.
These emails look exactly like emails sent by the genuine organisations themselves.
- Sake24
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