Gone Phishing

The word fishing, which connotes a mellow activity involving lapping waves, fruitful conversation and fish entrails, has been usurped in popular vernacular by its malicious homophone, and internet pandemic, phishing.

Phishing is the act of surreptitiously acquiring sensitive personal information from consumers via email, pop-ups, in person or over-the-phone for the purpose of identity theft or other exploitative measures. Phishers may pose as a legitimate web-entity, such as a bank, asking for previously relayed information often with an urgent imperative. Examples of the information sought in phishing are credit card numbers, ID's and passwords, and social insurance numbers.

In 2008, the University of Toronto email system, UTORmail, was attacked. Two thousand users were sent an email by what appeared to be the university help desk, asking for their user ID and password. Some users did respond and comply with the request. The university's network services supervisor, Alex Nishri, suggested the information was being sold to those interested in gaining access to online library and reference materials.

On a broader scale, in 2006, PhoneBusters, the Royal Canadian Mounted Polices's anti-fraud hotline, recorded 7,778 complaints from Canadians, with a loss in assets of $16.3 million; a figure the police believe represents only five percent of incidents.

According to the Ontario government, to avoid being hooked by a phisher you must be suspicious of any emails or phonecalls asking for your personal information. Most businesses of repute will not ask in such an informal manner. If you believe you have been phished, make the appropriate arrangements to change account information, cancel creditcards or execute any other applicable defense measures.