Since mid-August, large phishing waves have been breaking over Switzerland: “Criminals are sending out e-mails which look quite credible at first glance, in the name of the post office, banks or insurance companies, complete with logos and written in good German,” explains Oliver Hirschi, information security expert at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. Now many users are becoming suspicious when they receive such mails. Still a lot of them click the links included and end up on fake websites, says Hirschi. Fraudsters are able to obtain confidential data and passwords this way.
Faced with the current wave of attacks, “eBanking – but secure!” (EBAS), the e-banking information service of the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, has created an informative video. This serves to inform e-banking users of the most common tricks employed by fraudsters, also providing tips on how to protect themselves by some simple means. This clip is part of the latest EBAS information campaign. Secure e-banking has been on the agenda for years, says Head of EBAS, Oliver Hirschi. Yet you will have to make the population aware of it time and again: “Phishing mails are becoming more and more professional and perfidious.”
Clip and Competition
The animated clip “Don’t give Harold Hacker a chance to scam you!” focuses on the cyber - criminal Harold Hacker. Using phishing-mails, he is trying to gain access to e-banking user Seb Saverchamp’s bank account. Saverchamp finds out how to protect himself against Harold Hacker’s attempts at fraud with some simple means.
This film clip is available in German, French, English or Italian language on www.ebas.ch/win. Viewers can also participate in a competition for chance to win an iPad Pro or other prizes.
“eBanking – but secure!” services
The “eBanking – but secure!” (www.ebas.ch) website is a service currently offered by the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts to over 40 financial institution partners. Anyone interested can find current information on secure e-banking issues here. In addition to this website, EBAS also offers public courses for end users and training sessions for internal bank helpdesk employees.
EBAS is part of the research focus area Information Security & Privacy.