It's Easy To Hack Some Web Sites and Compromise Users' Security

[engine]

Being close to the money for big time crooks means attacking banks, I would guess, but I also would have thought that users are just as likely to be close to the money, and far more likely to have inadequete defenses.

There's a nice video demo in that report.

"The closer you are to cash, the closer you'll be to getting attacked," he said. "The importance lies not in what you are doing but in quantifying the risks you face."It's Easy To Hack Some Web Sites and Compromise Users' Security [bbc.co.uk]

"The question is not whether you can get in, usually you can because the more you dig the deeper you get," he said. "The more important thing is what risks you expose and what damage could that do."

[jecasc]

Since everybody seems to feel the need to spread all kinds of private information about himself on the internet it will get easier and easier. Just go on twitter, search for keywords like "at the airport", "finally holidays" and such, do a little research on the internet, find friends, family and other contacts and then send an email that you got in trouble in the country of destination and please send some money via "Western Union".

Throw in some casual information about your targets you found online - like "PS: How was the math exam, hows Barney the cat, thanks for bringing me to the airport yesterday" and so on and you are ready to collect.