Cybercriminals targetting customers using PDA, smartphones

CHENNAI: Customers accessing websites using Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or smart phones -- beware -- an increasing number of cybercriminals are targetting them for financial gain, convincing them to purchase "rogue" software.

This was against the earlier trend of cybercriminals accessing personal computers of individuals for financial gain, says a study.

"With an increase in smart phones, the number of cyber criminals targeting users has increased globally.They convince users to download software, but many PDA phone or smartphone users do not know it is false or rogue security software,", Shantanu Ghosh, vice-president (Engineering), Veritas Software India, subsidiary of US based Symantec Corporation said.

He quoted a study by Symantec Corporation during July 2008-June 2009 period, which said cybercriminals use various online tactics enabling customers to purchase 'rogue security software'.