Online thieves steal $115 billion each year. They snitch information from Internet banking and social networking sites, utilising whatever means it takes to obtain the data they seek. If that means exploiting the Haiti earthquake victims, then that’s what they do.

Here are the four most popular methods of stealing online personal data.

1. Phishing. This is a type of social engineering, where thieves use psychology and trickery to convince people to give them their credit card or banking information. A typical phishing attack would be an email claiming to be from one’s bank, stating that the online banking system had been compromised and that all users were hereby requested to change their passwords immediately. A handy link is provided in the body of the email for users’ convenience.

The link, of course, does not lead to the actual banking site but to a shadow site, built by the thieves to resemble the real one. Unwary users follow the link and enter their account number and a new password, giving the thieves access to their money.

If everyone simply understood that banks never send such emails, phishing attacks would cease to be profitable for thieves.

2. Smishing. Another type of social engineering, this is the variety that attacks mobile devices. These messages generally attempt to convince the receiver to click on a link, which downloads malicious software (malware) to the device, again stealing personal data or compromising the entire network.

3. Pharming. A pharming attack redirects a link or computer to a shadow site similar to the real one. These attacks are more disturbing, as they don’t rely upon general human trickery and work even if the Internet address (URL) has been typed in correctly.

4. Malware. There are many types:
•    Trojans, which are often disguised as images in cute or funny emails
•    Viruses, which are generally downloaded from malicious websites
•    Worms, which attack and spread through networks

All of these are various sorts of software, which attack computer systems to disable them or steal banking information by exploiting vulnerabilities in browsers and operating systems.

5. Fake software. Generally disguised as anti-malware or video or music players, these rogue programs may hijack computer systems and don’t release them unless the user purchases the useless program. Other versions merely convince the users to buy, leaving them stuck with something that doesn’t work at best.

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/