A Slovak phishing e-mail, aimed at eliciting personal data from clients related to their accounts at Slovenská Sporiteľňa (SLSP), has appeared. The message was first sent in an English-language version, followed shortly afterwards by a version translated into Slovak. Slovak IT security firm ESET detected the Slovak version targeting SLSP clients early in the morning when it updated its database of samples, the SITA newswire wrote.
Phishing is an attempt to criminally and fraudulently acquire sensitive information by masquerading as a trustworthy entity through electronic communication. If customers respond, their data is sent to an alien server and may be subsequently misused. "Banking institutions never ask clients to provide their data via an e-mail," Juraj Malcho, chief of ESET’s virus laboratory, explained.
Slovenská Sporiteľňa warned its clients not to reply to any e-mails asking for personal data following news of the phishing messages in English. SLSP registered this latest attempt to misuse client data on Monday, March 24. "Several hundred clients informed the bank about e-mails composed in English. SLSP is going to file charges against an unknown offender," SLSP spokesman Štefan Frimmer told SITA news agency Tuesday. He says that the bank's clients have been informed. Those who provided sensitive data concerning their accounts despite warnings should report this to SLSP as soon as possible. "We warn our clients not to reply to similar fraudulent e-mails in the future and immediately inform us about such events, for instance by e-mail to the address: info@slsp.sk," Frimmer said. SITA
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
