14 DAY TRIAL // Usually, the phishing schemes use some obscure IP addresses to trick the user into revealing personal information, but in this case, phishers have taken things one step further.
Netcraft alerts that attackers have hacked the server of a Chinese bank to host phishing sites targeting US banks and financial institutions.
"Phishing e-mails sent on Saturday (March 11) targeting customers of Chase Bank and eBay were directed to sites hosted on ip addresses assigned to The China Construction Bank (CCB) Shanghai Branch. This is the first instance we have seen of one bank's infrastructure being used to attack another institution," Netcraft said.
Users were lured with $20 sums for which they had to fill out a user survey regarding the usability of the Chase online banking site. The next step was to request a user ID, password, bankcard number, PIN number, card verification number, mother's maiden name and Social Security number.
The eBay page used a VeriSign seal, which is supposed to take visitors clicking on it to a page on Verisign's site vouching for the security of the site. However, the seal used vouches for the security of an entirely different site. Netcraft also says that the attacks could have been orchestrated by a bank employee who had access to the server.