| Online: | |
| Visits: | |
| Stories: |
| Story Views | |
| Now: | |
| Last Hour: | |
| Last 24 Hours: | |
| Total: | |
Yahoo Quietly Thwarted Organized Attack On Its Mail Platform
Yahoo Inc. has managed to avert a major data leakage in it Mail Platform; Yahoo Mail, by timely intervention.
Yahoo Mail was reportedly subjected to an organized attack by malicious computer software. The carefully orchestrated effort was played out to gain access to names and email–ids, shared Yahoo in an official statement,
“The information sought in the attack seems to be names and email addresses from the affected accounts` most recent sent emails”
How did the attack take place? Yahoo confirms there was no evidence that passwords or usernames had been obtained directly from its systems. However, the list of usernames and passwords that were used to carry out the attack was likely collected from a compromised third-party database.
“We believe that the attackers were attempting to access the accounts using credentials that had been obtained from a breach of another company’s user database.”
Yahoo hasn’t been able to identify that company yet. Another plausible explanation to the same was people frequently use the same passwords on multiple accounts, so hackers attempt to use credentials stolen in one breach to break into multiple types of accounts.
Calling it a “Coordinated effort to gain unauthorized access to Yahoo Mail accounts”, Yahoo has reset the passwords of accounts that are suspected to have been compromised. But, Yahoo hasn’t confirmed the total number of accounts that it suspects have been attacked.
Taking a serious note of the same, Yahoo has built additional precautionary measures to block attacks against its systems. But the most elementary protection still appears to be the two–stage verification that allows users to re–secure their accounts.
Attacks on such large databases are fairly common. Multiple companies are routinely within the cross–hairs of hackers or an organized team. It is commendable that Yahoo managed to safeguard user–information, but it doesn’t mean the attacks will cease. What do you think?
Looking For A Social Media Agency?? – Contact WATConsult – India’s Leading Social Media Agency
Source: http://www.watblog.com/2014/01/31/yahoo-quietly-thwarted-organized-attack-on-its-mail-platform/
