Uk Businesses Facing Phishing Attacks More Than Anywhere Else In The World

Phishing is an old type of internet scam that was first discovered in the 1980s.  What is more disturbing about this crime is that it continues to exist and grow.  Cyber criminals are now stealing reams of data and cash from big and small firms and corporations alike.  According to new research, UK businesses are the top targets of phishing compared to any other country.  In fact, UK was ranked first with regard to phishing attacks in Europe and the world as a whole by the annual Internet Security Threat Report, whose primary focus is to examine the global threat trends.

The UK is third in the world when it comes to social media scams, making it one of the top countries in Europe where the chances of being attacked online are substantially high. Interestingly, the residents of UK are more than just cyber attack targets. Inferring from the Symantec figures, the country is ranked third in Europe and the whole world as a fountainhead of attacks.  However, this does not mean that the country is full of cyber criminals.

Sian John, the chief strategist for EMEA at Symantec told IT Pro that just because you are a source of cyber crime, it does not necessarily mean that your country is brimful of criminals.  It can mean that unsuspecting individuals could be potential sources when they spread a scam to other people once they get infected.  In most cases, cyber criminals send email messages that trick the unaware victims into disclosing their personal information which is in turn used to steal their identity.  Others use your credit information that you provide when doing business online.

Besides that, John pointed out that owning a website that is infected can equally make you a source of malware.  She said, ‘it’s as much about being a victim if you’re the top source as well.’ And since most residents spend most of their lifetime online, either purchasing or selling goods and services, their susceptibility level increases, thereby making the country an easy target for cyber crime.  In fact, most people prefer online banking and shopping, meaning that the work of the cyber criminals is made easier.

Spear phishing is one of the favorite strategies that most scammers and hackers use because they can easily target large organizations.  The technique allows the security measures employed by these firms to be bypassed so that the criminals can access their network as well as their confidential data.  Since the UK owns lots of global organizations that are not based in the country, there is a high rate of digital money transfer, and hence the increasing spear phishing attacks.