Phishing Inc.
The top 10 locations for hosting phishing sites:
| US 32% |
| China 13% |
| S. Korea 10% |
| Japan 3.1% |
| Germany 2.7% |
| Brazil 2.7% |
| France 2.7% |
| Romania 2.2% |
| Canada 2.1% |
| Australia 2.1% |
eWeek magazine has a great summary on the evolution and current state of phishing attacks and its growth due to influence of organized crime. Starting in 2003, phishing became big business for the underground -- out of nowhere, attacks grew. The biggest factor in the growth of attacks isn't organized crime -- it's consumers growing comfort with the internet as a medium for commerce. Everything from online purchases to online banking has made the underground wake up and take notice of the lucrative potential. In two years, starting from Jan. 2003, the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG), recorded growth from 176 unique phishing attacks to 1,700. More recently, in four months ending in January, APWG has recorded a rise from 1,186 to 2,560 in phishing sites; hijacking of brands going from 46 to 64; and, the percentage of attacks on financial institutions growing from 74 to 80. The net results? For US companies, the scams may be causing businesses a loss of US$1.2 billion to US$2.4 billion. In addition, as these attacks grow, consumer confidence in the internet as a medium for commerce is sure to decline -- further impacting bottom-lines.
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