[ISN] Secret hackers to aid war on internet fraud

[InfoSec News]

Forwarded from: "Bill Scherr IV, GSEC, GCIA" <bschnzl at cotse.net>

Folks...

The only difference between this, and the RIAA hacking P2P clients is
the sector of the economy.  

Two wrongs don't make a right!  MasterCard should require an
independent review, rather than breaking clients systems.  Breaking a
lock is breaking a lock, regardless of why it is done!

B.

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Date sent:      	Mon, 5 Apr 2004 01:02:48 -0500 (CDT)
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Subject:        	[ISN] Secret hackers to aid war on internet fraud 
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http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,5-1063208,00.html

April 05, 2004 
By Joe Morgan
 
FEARS that small online retailers are the weakest link in the fight
against internet fraud have prompted MasterCard, the global payment
scheme group, to set up secret teams of hackers to test security
systems in the sector.
 
The Times has learnt that the project, named Site Data Protection
(SDP), will go live in May and will target online outlets that fail to
comply with appropriate levels of internet security. SDP teams will be
recruited by the banks that have relationships with online merchants
whose systems do not come up to scratch.

Brian Morris, head of e-business solutions at MasterCard, said that
while large online retailers had robust internet security systems,
small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) "could benefit from the
assistance".

Organised criminal gangs are increasingly hacking into the systems of
online retailers and stealing subscribers' credit card and personal
details. The information can then be used to commit "card-not-present
fraud" - fraudulent buying of goods and services from a remote
location, usually by phone or via the internet.

[...]


Bill Scherr IV, GSEC, GCIA
EWA / Information & Infrastructure Technologies
National Guard Regional Technology Center / Norwich Campus
Northfield, VT  05663
802-485-1962