May 23rd, 2007
Linkin Park Dot-Mac email account hacked
If you ever doubted the benefit of a strong password, check out Wired’s article Linkin Park’s Mysterious Cyberstalker.
In it Linkin’ front man tells an eerie tale about how his wife, family and personal life were privacy was compromised and how they were taunted daily. A stalker fan had gained access to the family email, voice mail, broadband, eBay and Paypal accounts.
In August, Chester got an automated text message from Verizon Wireless, his cell phone provider, confirming a new password for his online account. Like most phone companies, Verizon allows subscribers to manage their accounts on the Internet and view lists of incoming and outgoing calls. To open this type of account, users need only go online, fill out a form, and choose a password…
Suspicious, Chester and Talinda logged on and changed the password, promptly receiving an SMS verification of their change. Then another notification informed them that the password had been changed again. So the couple changed it back and got another confirmation. When they got yet another text message announcing yet another change they had not made, the Benningtons logged on and found a question written in the space where the password should have been.
“Who is doing this to you?” it read.
All of this happened because he chose an easy to remember password for his Dot-Mac email account. It’s a worthwhile read and a good lesson for everyone.
Jason D. O'Grady is the editor of PowerPage.org, which has been publishing daily mobile technology news since December 1995. For disclosures on Jason's industry affiliations, click here or to view Jason's full profile click here.
Subscribe to The Apple Core via Email alerts or RSS.
