Social Networking Sites A Boon For Cyber Criminals
Bernama (12 May 2011)

KUALA LUMPUR' May 12 (Bernama) -- The popularity of social networking sites has created opportunities for cyber criminals to lure unsuspecting users' friends' colleagues and family through impersonation.

In a statement Thursday' Microsoft Corp said according to its Security Intelligence Report Volume 10' phishing using social networking as the lure increased from a low of 8.3 per cent of all phishing in January to a high of 84.5 per cent in December 2010.

"These methods add to an existing list of social engineering techniques' such as financial and product promotions through e-mail and instant messenger' to extort money or trick users into downloading malicious content'" it said.