Anti-phishing Tech
The Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) announced on January 23 that it developed the Smart Channel 3 Technology, which provides anti-phishing and secure certification functions for smartphones. Malignant code and phishing or pharming attacks can be effectively prevented in e-governance, e-banking services, and the like using this new technology.
Phishing can be defined as an attempt to steal personal information by means of a similarly-named fake web site. Pharming uses DNS server attacks, modification of the host files on the PCs of users, and other methods. Even when they type in the correct web site address on a Web browser, users could possibly be guided to such counterfeit web sites.
The Smart Channel 3, in the meantime, allows a smartphone to recognize the QR codes in pop-up windows on the web sites of financial institutions so that user authentication can be made simultaneously on the institution’s server and the user’s PC and smartphone. When authentication data is input into the smartphone, the login is made on the PC. When a picture of the address window is taken, the authenticity of the web site can be verified as well.
Once the identification process is completed, information such as the last access time, the IP address of the user’s PC, and the frequency of access are displayed on the phone. Phishing and pharming attempts can be effectively blocked, because mutual authentication is made without directly sending any password.
The ETRI has transferred the technology to security service providers and is currently in talks to transfer it to more firms. It is also planning to launch pilot and commercial services for improved user authentication in cooperation with financial institutions and public organizations.