Use PKI to beat phishers

Internet scammers are increasingly casting around for financial information by "phishing" - using spam to deceive consumers into disclosing credit card numbers, bank account details and other sensitive information.

The e-mails purport to be from businesses with which the potential victims deal and advise recipients that they need to validate their billing information to keep their accounts active. Directed to a counterfeit website, they are hoodwinked into thinking they are responding to a bona fide request. Scammers then use this data to order goods and services or obtain credit illegally.

For bona fide e-commerce sites, this fraudulent activity increases concerns among customers, existing and potential. Paypal and eBay, both recently targeted by phishers, now warn customers to be on the lookout, advising that the only time they would request confirmation of account details is when customers log on.

Users can safeguard against phishing by checking that the internet service provider they are dealing with is the genuine article and by inspecting the accuracy of the web address.