IBM Reports On Spear Phishers

FrenchyinOntario writes "IBM reports that while "regular" phishing is declining the black hats are now engaging in targeted spear phishing to glean as much information about a specific identity as they can for all the usual cybercrime reasons. It concerns authorities because the usual suspects - criminal and terrorist organizations - will want to take advantage of this, but the chilling part is how your identity will now be dependent on multiple institutions protecting your personal information, as opposed to eBay, PayPal, your bank, etc."

Comments

An Open Information Society

[under_score]

I'm starting to feel like the right to privacy might be a red herring. The benefits of technology and a truely collaborative and just society might only be fully realized if we completely give up privacy... and that that might actually be a good thing. I know that I've read an essay or something about this before, but I can't find a link - anyone know who wrote about this or where I can find some references? (Actually, Robert J. Sawyer wrote a series of books where one of the societies is like this... but it's not what I'm thinking of.)

Opportunity to make a difference?

[It doesn't come easy]

I've always thought that someone with a strong opinion on the pitiful state of privacy laws in the US would ... how do you say it ... demonstrate just how easy it is to steal someone's identity in this country (using, of course, selective politically connected individuals as test cases). Nothing like getting a senator interested in stronger privacy protection after they get the bill for that $5000 digital camera someone "bought" using their credit card.

Multiple institutions *are* responsible

[MirrororriM]

but the chilling part is how your identity will now be dependent on multiple institutions protecting your personal information

The way I see it, all personal information I send to a particular company should be confidential and protected. Some if it they simply don't need. For instance, why the hell did the clerk at Hollywood Video ask for my SSN to open a damn account to rent movies?! They did not need my SSN and I sure as hell didn't give it to him either, but it makes me wonder how many people actually *have* given out their SSN just for a Hollywood Video account. Not good.

If a company does not protect my personal information and it gets stolen and/or misused, you bet your ass they'd see some backlash from me. The only bad thing is, it's hard to figure out exactly *which* company that held your personal information was compromised. It's certainly not like they're going to volunteer the fact that they were comprimised, otherwise you might take your business elsewhere (to a more responsible company). Just look at the millions of people who had their information on backup tapes "misplaced" by a UPS driver (posted on slashdot a while back) after the company was stupid enough to send that info via UPS to begin with.

Companies that have our personal information need to be held accountable on how they handle it and should be prosecuted to the fullest when they mishandle it.