Phishers slow to capitalise on HMRC data loss

By
Follow google news

Phishers have been unusually slow to capitalise on the lost HM Revenue & Customs data disks.


Security firm McAfee said that the first phishing attack based on the loss has only just occurred, despite the disks going missing nearly three months ago.

Toralv Dirro, a security strategist at McAfee Avert Labs, believes that this is down to greater security awareness on the part of UK consumers.

"It is first time that we have seen this kind of phishing attack," he told vnunet.com. "The IRS gets hit by this kind of attack all the time, but it is much less common in the UK."

The phishing attack uses a spoofed email header claiming that the message comes from HMRC. It informs the recipient that they have a tax rebate of £215 waiting, and asks for bank account details.
Got a news tip for our journalists? Share it with us anonymously here.
Copyright ©v3.co.uk
Tags:

Most Read Articles

Optus takes $826,000 hit for anti-scam breaches

Optus takes $826,000 hit for anti-scam breaches

Australia, US and UK sanction Russian cyber firms over ransomware links

Australia, US and UK sanction Russian cyber firms over ransomware links

JPMorgan, Citi, Morgan Stanley client data may be exposed by vendor's hack

JPMorgan, Citi, Morgan Stanley client data may be exposed by vendor's hack

Australia's AUKUS base to connect to subsea cables

Australia's AUKUS base to connect to subsea cables

Log In

  |  Forgot your password?