Microsoft Fights The Phishers

Probably many of us reading this think we’re smart enough to detect Phishing emails – but are your parents or your children clued up enough to spot a fake mail supposedly from Chase or Paypal? Maybe not. Research group Gartner estimates that the total amount of damages from phishing is expected to be $2.8 billion in 2006 – that’s a fair chunk your kid’s allowance (or even your inheritance). So, it’s nice to see Reuters report that ol’ MS is helping raise 129 lawsuits against phishers of which 97 are criminal procedures. Reuters says:

Phishing has mushroomed over the last few years, with the number of attempts to trick citizens into handing over their bank account details almost doubling in the first half of 2006 to 157,000, according to a recent report from security software vendor Symantec… Phishers send emails, in which they pretend to be a financial institution or other legitimate organization, asking people to verify personal information such as account numbers and passwords.

Are we watching Microsoft finally doing something worthwhile in its own business sector, not someone else’s?

Microsoft brings 129 lawsuits against phishers | Reuters.com