Internet "phishing" scams are incorporating the use of SSL certificates - both real and faked - in their efforts to trick users into divulging sensitive login information for financial accounts.

This trend bears watching, as the presence of an SSL certficate was intially touted by consumer protection groups as a way to differentiate between scams and legitimate sites. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission, for example, offered this advice to consumers concerned about phishing: "Before submitting financial information through a Web site, look for the "lock" icon on the browser's status bar. It signals that your information is secure during transmission."

By richm at Netcraft.

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