Phishers Want Broadband Internet Service

Phishers have been targeting many sectors to steal confidential information for various reasons. Most of the time, the motive is financial gain. Here is an example of a phishing attack that was primarily targeting information for reasons other than financial gain. In July, Symantec observed a phishing website that spoofed an Internet Service Provider (ISP). The brand offers internet services using cable, ADSL, dialup, etc, and is a popular brand in Australia.

 
The phishing website was sent to customers in spam email. The spam messages stated that the ISP was unable to verify the customer’s account due to a recent change in his or her contact details. The mail requested that the customer verify their account by providing certain information and provided a link to the phishing website. The phishing website asked for login details and then led to a page that asked for personal details. Upon entering the personal details, the page asked for credit card details to complete the verification process.
 
Credit card information can be used for financial gain. However, the primary motive of these phishers was to steal the login and personal details of the customer because they are a key to internet access. The more login credentials phishers may steal, the more they can utilize high speed internet. The phishing website was hosted on a domain created for malicious purposes. The domain was hosted on servers based in France.
 
Internet users are advised to follow best practices to avoid phishing attacks. Here are some basic tips for avoiding online scams:
•    Do not click on suspicious links in email messages.
•    Check the URL of the website and make sure that it belongs to the brand.
•    Type the domain name of your brand’s website directly into your browser’s address bar rather than following any link.
•    Frequently update your security software, such as Norton Internet Security 2010, which protects you from online phishing.

Thanks to Rohan Shah, co-author of the blog.