Security News > 2008 > October > Hacker's list of online accounts spooks users
http://www.smh.com.au/news/technology/hackers-list-of-online-accounts-spooks-users/2008/10/08/1223145446457.html By Conrad Walters smh.co.au October 9, 2008 WHEN Australian web users learned from the Herald that details of their online accounts [1] had been posted on a hacker's website for all to see, they were suspicious, then alarmed, then furious at the hacker who compromised their identities. Email addresses, matched with user names and passwords for online memberships, were offered by the hacker for anyone wanting to try their hand at identity theft or even financial fraud. The Herald stumbled across the site during its investigations into online fraud. "It's obviously startling," said Lachlan Yee, a research associate in biotechnology at the University of NSW and one of those whose details were exposed by the hacker. Dr Yee instantly recognised a password linked with his university email address. Fortunately, the password was only used for "not-so-crucial" uses such as online sports forums, he said. The distributor of the data, a hacker who uses the name Farbod, offered 9600 identities for free. His motivation? To earn status and credibility on a website that rates hackers' skills. Farbod, who purports to be from Texas, has already advanced in rank from lowly "pirate in training" to "Microsoft nightmare". [1] http://www.smh.com.au/pdf/compromisedaccounts.pdf [...] __________________________________________________ Register now for HITBSecConf2008 - Malaysia! With a new triple-track conference featuring 4 keynote speakers and over 35 international experts, this is the largest network security event in Asia and the Middle East! http://conference.hackinthebox.org/hitbsecconf2008kl/