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Phishers screw up the environment

by on04 February 2010

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Carbon market hacked


The international
carbon market has been hit by a phishing attack which saw an estimated 250,000 permits worth over 3 million euros stolen this week.

The scam involves six German companies and meant emissions trading registries in a number of EU countries had to shut down. In the global carbon market, companies can buy permits from other firms, allowing them to emit greenhouse gases. The phishers created fake emissions registries and sent e-mails to thousands of firms around the globe, including New Zealand, Norway and Australia.

Seven out of 2,000 German firms targeted are known to have fallen victim to the scam, handing over registration details which allowed the thieves to steal their emissions permits. Registries in Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Italy and Greece, closed after details of the attacks emerged. Registries in Austria, the Netherlands and Norway were temporarily suspended but reopened the same day.
Last modified on 04 February 2010
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