Tax time lures tech security companies into the open

Stephen Withers
Wednesday, 18 June 2008 07:53

Your IT - Home IT

The end of the financial year is less than a week away, and security software companies are using that to draw attention to their products.

Finland-based F-Secure has put out a general warning to Australians planning to use the Australian Taxation Office's online lodgement services.

The company saw a spate of malware targeting US taxpayers around the end of their financial year, and is concerned the same could happen to Australians.

The main risk is said to be from phishing attacks promising an early tax refund but actually aimed at extracting personal information such as bank account details and tax file numbers.

Another risk is that malware could be distributed in the guise of a security certificate from the ATO.

"The ATO safeguards users by issuing a security certificate before lodging your tax refund online," says Wing Fei Chia, security response team manager at F-Secure's Security Labs. "However, we know from other countries such as the US, that sophisticated security measures don’t stop cyber criminals from creating new exploits."

He added "Tax payers should be particularly cautious when an email apparently coming from ATO prompts them to update their certificate – you think you do the right thing but instead you might install a Trojan on your computer."

F-Secure has more advice, and Trend Micro wants to give you money! Read all about it on page 2.