Caught in the net [Internet and e-mail security issues]

Harvesting bank accounts is frighteningly easy. Millions of pounds are stolen each year, and the authorities seem powerless to prevent it. This article examines various methods used to obtain personal details from unsuspecting users. The methods considered include: phishing - an e-mail directing users to a counterfeit website; pharming - harvesting user details using malicious code installed on their machine; and DNS poisoning - hijacking of the domain name server to redirect the browser to sites other than that one displayed in the address bar. Countermeasures against these threats are discussed in each case.