iTnews

CMA needs teeth so that it can bite email fraudsters

By Robert Schifreen on Feb 22, 2005 5:00PM
CMA needs teeth so that it can bite email fraudsters

As we well know, the provenance of an email message can't be trusted. Sadly, the general internet-hooked public had only been made aware of this recently, as a result of two developments.

Firstly, Google's excellent Gmail service is smart enough to know when a message in a subscriber's inbox might not be all that it seems. So when I get a missive from Paypal warning me that my account has been suspended because of possible fraudulent action, and inviting me to reconfirm my details, there's a banner at the top that boldly warns me that this message may not be from whom it appears to be, and I am advised to beware of acting on it or clicking any links within it.

My compliments to Google for implementing such technology. It's a brave thing to do, because there's a possible risk that things might get legal if the system starts producing false-positives. Let's hope that this never happens. If only such procedures were employed by more email providers, the internet might be a slightly safer place.

The other reason the public knows a little more about faked email is infinitely more depressing. Shortly after the Asian tsunami, Christopher Pierson sent various faked messages to frantic relatives who'd placed appeals on a TV news web forum. The emails, which claimed to be from a UK Foreign Office official in Thailand, falsely confirmed the deaths of the people concerned.

Although sending fake emails is very easy and requires nothing more than knowing how to telnet into an SMTP server, doing it in a way that can't be traced is a little more tricky. The police quickly tracked down Pierson and issued a statement saying that he faced possible charges under the Malicious Communications Act of 1988, which outlaws the sending of messages designed "to cause distress or anxiety". This Act currently attracts a fine upon conviction by magistrates of up to £2500. After pleading guilty, he was ultimately jailed for six months under Section 1 of the Act.

The law enforcement industry has frequently claimed that the Computer Misuse Act is in urgent need of updating because it fails to cover certain offences such as Distributed Denial of Service attacks, and, presumably, sending fake emails. If this is true, then the CMA updates can't come soon enough. If the Act is worded so tightly that it doesn't apply to despicable offences such as this, then it clearly isn't the general-purpose deterrent it was originally claimed to be.

Got a news tip for our journalists? Share it with us anonymously here.
Copyright © SC Magazine, US edition
Tags:
bite can cma email fraudsters it needs security so teeth that

Partner Content

Beat the DDoS blackmails in 2021
Partner Content Beat the DDoS blackmails in 2021
Why companies fail at picking cloud modernisation partners
Partner Content Why companies fail at picking cloud modernisation partners
Shut the door on ransomware
Partner Content Shut the door on ransomware
MSI shows first laptops with Wi-Fi 6E, Nvidia RTX 30 graphics
Partner Content MSI shows first laptops with Wi-Fi 6E, Nvidia RTX 30 graphics

Sponsored Whitepapers

Five questions to ask before you upgrade to a SIEM solution
Five questions to ask before you upgrade to a SIEM solution
Effectively addressing advanced threats
Effectively addressing advanced threats
The risky business of open source
The risky business of open source
Ensure your e-signatures are legally binding
Ensure your e-signatures are legally binding
Mitigating open source risk in your organisation
Mitigating open source risk in your organisation

Events

  • On-Demand Webinar: How Poly and Microsoft are Embracing Future Work Environments
  • Beat the DDoS blackmailers in 2021
By Robert Schifreen
Feb 22 2005
5:00PM
0 Comments

Related Articles

  • Mimecast says hackers hijacked its products
  • US Justice Department says its emails were breached by SolarWinds hackers
  • BTC Markets exposes customer names, emails in botched blast send
  • DFAT exposes email addresses of Aussies stuck overseas
Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn Share on Whatsapp Email A Friend

Most Read Articles

Telstra blasts plan to 'set aside' mobile spectrum for Optus and TPG, but not it

Telstra blasts plan to 'set aside' mobile spectrum for Optus and TPG, but not it

Trump pardons former Google self-driving car engineer

Trump pardons former Google self-driving car engineer

Australia Post is building a digital twin of its delivery network

Australia Post is building a digital twin of its delivery network

Defence switches on initial SAP ERP system capability

Defence switches on initial SAP ERP system capability

You must be a registered member of iTnews to post a comment.
Log In | Register
All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in any form without prior authorisation.
Your use of this website constitutes acceptance of nextmedia's Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.