phishing

A Maltese bank, APS, became the third local bank to be a target of a phishing scam in 2023, following similar scams targeting BOV and HSBC in previous weeks. The scams have all been carried out through SMS.

Phishing is a type of online scam, where an attacker sends a message by text, call or email, pretending to be a reputable source, in an attempt to solicit sensitive information such as passwords or credit card details.

The increasing recurrence of this type of scam has caused alarm, with the Malta Security Services (MSS) recently reporting that phishing is one of the main cybersecurity threats that the Government faced in 2021 and 2022, according to MaltaToday.

The MSS informed that there were numerous attacks against private companies and Government authorities in recent years, targeting institutions such as the Central Bank, Identity Malta and even the police.

Unfortunately, this usually leads to a number of people falling victim to the scams, giving away their personal details and losing thousands of euros in the process.

What is being done?

The best remedy to phishing is an informed and educated public which is capable of noticing red flags when presented with a phishing scam attempt.

Local banks already make it abundantly clear that they would never request personal information over email or text messages, and urge the public not to give away their sensitive data.

However, phishing is not the only type of cybercrime to look out for. Spoofing is also on the rise and becoming more sophisticated since scammers are capable of cloning phone numbers as well, even those of banks.

Both spoofing and phishing trick the individual into thinking they are a legitimate source and solicit sensitive information, but the main difference between the two is that spoofing involves the creation of a fake website or email address which impersonates a reputable source, and phishing involves the creation of fake messages.

In its fight against this cybersecurity threat, the Government has recently launched two schemes to boost cybersecurity in the private sector, and is in the process of setting up a National Coordination Centre to develop the country’s cybersecurity capacity.

Related

Short-let rentals may face new rules: Landlords would need to secure neighbour approval for MTA licence

November 12, 2024
by Nicole Zammit

The regulation could increase long-let availability, thereby easing pressure on the housing market

Value of property transactions drops 3.7% to €295 million in October

November 12, 2024
by Anthea Cachia

St Paul's Bay once again stood out as the locality with the hottest property market

Tourist arrivals to Malta increase by 20.7% in September

November 12, 2024
by Nicole Zammit

Over 2.75 million tourists visited Malta in the first three quarters of 2024