What Is "Phishing"?

Phishing is a common form of online fraud resulting in theft of personal information that can lead to substantial financial loss. Preventing data theft from phishing forms part of Webwise's comprehensive protection services.

The name "Phishing" refers to the use of bait to steal personal details. The most common examples of phishing bait are emails or websites designed to resemble well-known brands and businesses, such as Paypal or Ebay. The creators of these fraudulent sites and emails hope that they can capture sensitive information from internet users who are not using effective anti-phishing software or filters. These phishing attacks may unearth information that will seriously damage an individual or business, for example, bank details, credit cards or passwords.

The number and sophistication of internet phishing scams continue to rise. In the UK alone, an estimated £45.7 million was stolen last year from bank accounts as a result of phishing activity.

Phishing is not just a UK security issue but a global problem: in the US, 3.6 million adult users lost money from phishing attacks in the year prior to August 2007 - an increase of over 50% (eMarketer, 2007).

Reporting phishing when it has been detected through anti-phishing tools, programs or working groups is effective, as Phorm technology checks site addresses against key industry blacklists of known fraudulent sites worldwide.

Find more about what phishing is and how to stop it.
Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG)
Association for Payment Clearing Services
Wikipedia-Phishing