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Panda Software Issues Orange Alert for BarcPhish - a Phishing Attack Targeting Barclays Bank Clients

Posted on: Tuesday, 12 September 2006, 15:00 CDT

GLENDALE, Calif., Sept. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Panda Software has detected a large-scale phishing attack targeting clients of Barclays Bank's online services and involving at least 61 variants of a spoof email. Panda Software Labs has seen an increase of 30% in the number of fraudulent emails detected in just a few hours from this attack. In fact, of all phishing messages currently analyzed, some 64 percent target Barclays' clients. Given the number of variants detected, estimates put the number of these emails in circulation at several million.

The false emails received by users are designed to appear as if they have been sent from Barclays' customer services, with the subject field chosen at random from a list of options. Some of these options include: Barclays bank official update, Barclays bank -- Security update, Please Read or Verify your data with Barclays bank (the full list is available at Panda Software's Virus Encyclopedia http://www.pandasoftware.com/com/virus_info/encyclopedia/overview.aspx?idvirus =129876).

Panda Software's free online scanner ActiveScan (http://www.activescan.com/) will detect and remove this threat. We have also provided an evaluation version of the Panda Internet Security 2007 security suite which will also combat this threat. Download is available at: http://www.pandasoftware.com/com/downloads/register2006?Tipo=1&CodigoProducto= 37&Idioma=2&TipoUsuario=1&sec=down&Country=US-en&TipoLead=2&Ref=WWEN-P07- DES&track=30465

The message text, imitating Barclays' corporate image, informs users that the bank is upgrading software and that they should go to a link in order to confirm their bank details. Users that click on the link will access a form, similar to those used by the bank, requesting their account number, credit card number or PIN.

There are 61 different variants of this message, using a wide range of message subjects and sender addresses. This tactic is used deliberately in order to bypass antispam systems. According to Ryan Sherstobitoff, Security Spokesperson for Panda Software, "We believe this could be a coordinated attack, initiated in several places at the same time in order to spread rapidly and gather a considerable amount of confidential bank details in record time."

It is significant that not all of the email messages point to the same Internet address in order to collect stolen data, but in fact the criminals have prepared at least five false domains to hinder attempts to close all of them down. In any event, Panda Software Labs is contacting the technicians in charge of the sites that have been located -- all of them in Korea -- in order to shut them down as quickly as possible.

"This is a sophisticated attack in comparison with those that we usually see. The use of several domains to host spoofed web pages makes it more difficult to disable them. The emails are also far more authentic looking than the usual, often error strewn, messages," explains Sherstobitoff.

Panda Software Recommends: * Never access Internet services through links, as there are various ways for spoofing the addresses that users see in the browser bar. Instead, type in the URL directly in the address bar. * If you think an email message could be part of a phishing attack, don't enter any data and contact the bank in question. * Use solutions designed to minimize the impact of phishing attacks such as security suites that offer anti-phishing technologies and that update regularly to prevent the most recent attacks. Panda Software offers Panda Antivirus+Firewall 2007 and Panda Internet Security 2007. About Panda Software Labs

Since 1990, its mission has been to analyze new threats as rapidly as possible to keep our clients safe. Several teams, each specialized in a specific type of malware (viruses, worms, Trojans, spyware, phishing, spam, etc.), work 24/7 to provide global coverage. To achieve this, they also have the support of TruPrevent(TM) Technology, which act as a global early-warning system made up of strategically distributed sensors to neutralize new threats and send them to Panda Software Labs for in-depth analysis. According to Av-Test.org, Panda Software Labs is currently the fastest laboratory in the industry in providing complete updates to users (more info at http://www.pandasoftware.com/pandalabs).

For more information: http://www.pandasoftware.com/virus_info

To access the latest Panda Software press releases, please visit http://onlinepressroom.net/panda.

For more information: Carolina Sanabria Public Relations Manager Panda Software, USA Tel: 818-543-6909 pr@pandasecurity.com

Panda Software

CONTACT: Carolina Sanabria, Public Relations Manager of Panda Software,USA, +1-818-543-6909, pr@pandasecurity.com

Web site: http://www.pandasoftware.com/

Source: PRNewswire

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