Database takes Epsilon names
The Epsilon database hack could be the biggest in history of a hack while millions of names and emails were stolen. Yearly, about 40 billion marketing emails are sent out for 2,500 corporations by Epsilon. The company announced that it was hacked on Friday, meaning emails and other information given to sites might have been stolen.
This hurt at least a dozen companies. Banks were impacted by this including J.P. Morgan Chase, Citigroup, U.S. Bancorp, Barclays Bank and Capital One. Consumers need to watch for phishing scams in the future. Watch out if you have been at other companies as well. These will contain Kroger, Walgreens, TiVo, Best Buy and HSN. Student email addresses from SAT organization, College Board, might have been stolen as well for about 5,900 universities and colleges.
Picking out a con before it gets you
It's likely the stolen names and email addresses in the Epsilon database hack will be used to target spam. Account holders could be targeted with this “phishing” con, which might be very effective. Fake accounts are put together for the phishing emails. Then, the consumer is convinced to log in so the information can be stolen. The email can be more convincing after having hackers’ name and email in order to go on Facebook and find more personal details. You know it's a phishing con if it asks for you to update charge card information. It also might say the account could be closed if information isn’t updated. Because the account is compromised, phishing scams will ask for account information.
A new record for stealing data
The number of students and customers exposed to the database hacks has yet to be made clear by Epsilon, although it was clear that it was limited. Epsilon clients already mentioned were not the only ones at risk. AstraZeneca, Kraft Foods, Hilton Hotels and Verizon Communications might also be at risk. Internet security analysts believe the Epsilon database hack may surpass the Heartland Payment Systems hack, currently recognized as the biggest identity-theft incident in U.S. history. Notorious cyber-criminal Albert Gonzalez was sentenced to 20 years in prison after being convicted of leading a ring of hackers that broke into Heartland Payment Systems and stole more than 40 million payment card numbers.
Information from
Associated Press
finance.yahoo.com/news/Banks-creditcard-issuers-warn-apf-754015157.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=main&asset=&ccode=
MSN Money
money.msn.com/identity-theft/news.aspx?feed=OBR&date=20110403&id=13261200
Computer world
computerworld.com/s/article/print/9215443/Update_Bank_customers_warned_after_breach_at_Epsilon_marketing_firm?taxonomyName=Security&taxonomyId=17
Microsoft
microsoft.com/security/online-privacy/phishing-symptoms.aspx
Source for this article - Epsilon database hack exposes millions to phishing attacks by MoneyBlogNewz.
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