Tech Shout!

Websense Inc. has released an interactive Global Phishing and Crimeware Threat Map. The map presents the most current data collected by Websense Security Labs and provides a historical look into where phishing and crimeware related Web sites are hosted on the Internet.

The Global Phishing and Crimeware Threat Map allows visitors to view the location of phishing and crimeware sites on an interactive map of the world. The data is updated by Websense Security Labs approximately 15 minutes after discovery. Visitors may search threats around the globe by geographic region, date and threat types.

Upon discovery, each site is looked up via its IP address to track the country of origin through the appropriate IP registrars and plotted on the map.

Websense said the Threat Map gives a clear picture of the development of deceitful activity as criminals’ branch into new countries to arrange and house attacks. The company said that over the past few months, the Websense Security Labs has seen a major increase in the number of phishing and crimeware related Web sites in the Republic of Korea and China. The United States continues to be the top country of origin for criminal activity on the Internet.

Websense Security Labs has also begun publishing a security blog available to visitors. Supported by Websense Security Labs alerts, the blog serves as an additional news source designed to deliver the most current information about breaking security research topics. The blog is available at http://www.websensesecuritylabs.com/blog/ and can also be obtained via RSS feed.

The Threat Map will be available on www.websensesecuritylabs.com as well as through the Anti-phishing Working Group (APWG) at http://www.antiphishing.org/crimeware.html. The APWG is the global pan-industrial and law enforcement association focused on eliminating the fraud and identity theft that result from phishing, pharming and email spoofing of all types.

Senior director of security and technology research for Websense Inc., Dan Hubbard said, “In less than a year’s time, we have seen phishing techniques evolve from what would appear to be done for bragging rights between hackers to what is now full fledged electronic crime.â€? He continued, “As we continue to discover new crimeware techniques, our customers are rapidly protected by automatically blocking access to dangerous Web sites and locking down desktops to stop any form of malicious code from executing.”

Websense Security Labs, in conjunction with the APWG, started Project Crimeware in June 2005. The APWG defines crimeware as a genus of technology distinguished from adware, spyware and malware by the fact that it is, by design, developed for the solitary purpose of facilitating a financial or business crime.

“Project Crimeware was started because we were witnessing a shift in Internet attack styles from simple phishing for credit card information to drive-by downloads of keyloggers and other malicious code,” said Dave Jevans, chairman for the APWG. “The Global Phishing and Crimeware Threat Map supports this project and serves as great resource to each of our 2,000-plus members. Our members, the security community, and consumers alike are now able to follow the proliferation of phishing technology and crimeware through time and geographical regions.”