We all know that there are a variety of phishing scams that can be used to target personal information and other personal data to compromise both someone’s identity and any other information that can be used on personal accounts. The newest phishing scam has come about with one of the newest diseases that have struck our nation. Illinois residents are being warned by Dr. Damon Arnold, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, to be on the lookout for phishing scams asking for personal information in order to qualify for the H1N1 vaccination being offered.
These e-mails are targeting Illinois residents and are claiming to be from the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. In the e-mail it states, “that anyone 18 years or older has to create the personal vaccination profile on the CDC Web site. The Illinois Department of Public Health has issued a statement informing residents to delete these e-mails and that no program has been set up to implement a vaccination program through registration. Likewise, anyone who receives the e-mail and clicks the link is subjecting himself or herself to malicious code being entered onto their computers.
As we know, there are steps that can be used to remove yourself from any situation that might be a phishing scam. Only reading e-mails from users, people, or programs that you know is vital in keeping your personal information away from risk. Also, when clicking links, know the websites you are accessing and do not enter information on any website that is not secure. These are a few steps at marinating your identity and not becoming a victim to identity thieves.
Source:
http://www.nwherald.com/articles/2009/12/07/r_eiirenekrs6vnw8upmlgq/index.xml
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This scam is yet another example of hackers exploiting the public's vulnerabilities. H1N1 is all over the news as a potential U.S. epidemic. The vaccine is not widespread yet, and it is very difficult to get. By telling people they could receive the vaccine by going to the site and registering, everyones automatic reaction would be to do what they can to get the vaccine rather than considering the inaccuracy of this information. Also, because the hacker referenced legitimate sources such as the Center for Disease Control, people are more likely to believe the legitimacy of the email. People simply must be aware that hackers are out there and looking for vulnerabilities, such as everyones fear of H1N1, to exploit and get information.
ReplyDeleteQuite frankly, this is a cruel way to scam people. As Wacko said, the hackers are exploiting the public's vulnerabilities and fears. The H1N1 was such an unprecedented and publicized epidemic that I'm sure people will do near anything to make sure that they get the vaccine, especially since there has reportedly been a shortage of the vaccines. I agree that official sounding names would also encourage people to reveal their personal information, and again, with the urgency of the situation, I'm sure that people are less hesitant to "do what they have to" in order to stay well. I wonder if there are any stats showing who are the most likely to become victims of this scam (like demographics, etc.). Just a curiosity, really. But I think that if the government knows this, then they can focus efforts towards educating these people on the actual protocols of government/health institutions with regards to acquiring personal information. Sometimes I feel it is not stressed enough.
ReplyDeleteIt is extremely unfortunate that scammers use things like the H1N1 epidemic to frighten the general public into falling for their phishing attempts. However, this is the very spirit of social engineering. In phishing and spoofing attacks, scammers will do whatever they can to gain their victims' financial information. Falsifying CDC and H1N1 information is no exception. Luckily, I feel that people are generally becoming more aware of these kinds of attacks and the risk associated with giving up identifying/financial information via the internet. The development of more advanced and effective spam controls have also helped combat these types of attacks.
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