18 Aug 2000
Don't bank on password security
Sophos, a world leader in IT security, has today warned users
against storing internet banking passwords and PIN numbers on their
computers, following a security threat which targeted online
customers of UBS, one of the world's largest banks.
VBS/LoveLet-BD, the
56th variant of the Love Bug to strike,
attempts to steal UBS customer account details and forward them to
other email addresses, posing a serious threat to the integrity of
UBS customer accounts.
"Saving your personal banking details on your computer is as
daft as keeping your credit card PIN number on a slip of paper in
your wallet," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for
Sophos. "This virus has highlighted a vulnerability in online
banking. Users should remember passwords in their heads rather than
on their computers to minimise risk."
Sophos advises that all customers should ensure that their
anti-virus software is up-to-date. Customers should also consider
blocking any VBS files from entering their organisation.
Sophos has published safe computing tips here.
About Sophos
More than 100 million users in 150 countries rely on Sophos as the best protection against complex threats and data loss. Sophos is committed to providing security and data protection solutions that are simple to manage, deploy and use and that deliver the industry's lowest total cost of ownership. Sophos offers award-winning encryption, endpoint security, web, email, and network access control solutions backed by SophosLabs - a global network of threat intelligence centers. With more than two decades of experience, Sophos is regarded as a leader in security and data protection by top analyst firms and has received many industry awards.
Sophos is headquartered in Boston, US and Oxford, UK. More information is available at www.sophos.com.