MicroWorld Technologies have been continuously updating and alerting its users about phishing, for the last few months. For those who came in late, phishing is the online form of Identity Theft using fraudulent spam emails and websites.

Till now, phishing has been predominantly an American story but not any more. HDFC Bank has alerted its customers that nefarious spoof emails are doing rounds in the name of their bank. HDFC, in an e-mail alert sent to its customers, said: "It has come to our notice that fraudulent e-mails are being sent to customers asking them for confidential information. These e-mails appear as if they have been sent from the bank. Customers are advised to be extremely alert and not respond to such fraudulent e-mails.”

The modus operandi of phishing is like this. You get a mail that comes purportedly from your bank. It directs you to click on a link to go to the bank website, where in you are asked to fill in your personal banking information in an online form, for some or the other false reasons. Once you are done, your bank account is totally hijacked and the intruder does not waste much time emptying the account.

The Anti-Phishing Working Group, an industry consortium reported that attacks doubled in 2005,compared to the previous year. With e-commerce growing rapidly, phishing attempts may grow multifold this year, faking more brands and institutions to loot more victims around the globe. While IRS tax refund scam spoofed Federal Tax Department of United States, the FBI Phishing Scam faked mails from the FBI itself!

“Online banking is in its fledgling stages in India. Many users are not very computer-savvy and unaware of the vices of spamming and phishing. Majority of them do not use any anti-spamming anti-phishing software. No wonder, phishers are now turning their attention to a surging market like India” explains Govind Rammurthy, CEO, MicroWorld Technologies.

MicroWorld solutions eScan and MailScan use an advanced logic to prevent spamming and phishing, to protect its users from Online Identity Theft. While its important not to respond to suspicious mails, MicroWorld software works round-the-clock to block such malicious mails outright, concludes Rammurthy.

MicroWorld

MicroWorld ( www.mwti.net ) are the developers of the world's first Real-Time Anti-Virus and Content Security software eScan for desktops and servers. Its communication security software, MailScan is the first comprehensive e-mail scanner for your SMTP/POP3 Mail Server. MicroWorld Winsock Layer (MWL) is the revolutionary technology underlying these products, powering them to several certifications and awards by some of the most prestigious testing bodies, notable among them being Virus Bulletin, Checkmark, TUCOWS, Red Hat Ready, and Novell Ready. Combining their powerful scanner with MWL technology, MicroWorld solutions provide a Real-Time Proactive security for your systems.

To learn more, kindly visit the website at http://www.mwti.net/