Consumer security software is failing to safeguard users of
online banking from security theft, says security firmPrevx.
Account takeovers have increased 238% in the past two years,
according to
research released to mark the start of
National
Identify Fraud Prevention Week.
This increase is despite the fact that 88% of UK internet users
claim to have some sort of security software on their PCs, the
research revealed.
Banks need to give customers access to technology that will lock
down their online banking sessions, said Mel Morris, chief
executive of Prevx.
"This would mean that even if online banking customers are using
an infected PC their banking details are not exposed," he said.
Researchers at the University of Mannheim in Germany have found
that common anti-virus products detect
only between 75% and 95% of malware.
"If online banking sessions are locked down and run in
isolation, fraudsters will not be able to get their hands on
account information by infecting PCs," said Morris.
This could mark a significant step forward, as criminals are
currently moving as fast as the security industry, he said.