Hotmail accounts 'posted online'
Thousands of Hotmail passwords have been hacked and posted online, BBC News has learnt.
Microsoft, which owns the popular web-based e-mail system, said that it was aware of the claims and that it was “investigating the situation”.
BBC News has seen a list of more than 10,000 accounts, which technology blog Neowin.net said had been posted online.
The blog suggested the accounts had been hacked or had been collected as part of a phishing scheme.
Phishing involves using fake websites to lure people into revealing personal details such as bank accounts or login names and passwords.
'Rapid response'
Neowin claims the details were posted on 1 October to pastebin.com, a website commonly used by developers to share code.
Although the details have since been removed, BBC News and Neowin has seen a list of 10,027 names beginning with the letters A and B.
BBC News has confirmed that the accounts are genuine.
“Most appear to be based in Europe,” Tom Warren, a neowin blogger, wrote on the site.
The list included details of Microsoft's Windows Live Hotmail accounts with email addresses ending hotmail.com, msn.com and live.com.
Microsoft said it had “been made aware of the claims that Windows Live IDs and passwords have been made available on the web”.
“We're actively investigating the situation and will take appropriate steps as rapidly as possible,” a spokesperson said.
Neowin said that it recommended Windows Live Hotmail users to change their “password and security question immediately”.
Hotmail is currently the largest web-based email service.
Whilst there have been countless positives that widespread and innovative internet communications have had the world over, many of the issues associated are the same now as they were years ago. The majority of the persistent problems relate to personal security, theft, frauds and internet crime generally. Although many have taken measures to counter abuses of the internet to commit crime, it is still a major problem facing technicians, law enforcement, Internet Service Providers and users. Whilst these measures seem to have come quite a distance, internet crime is still a prevalent issue. Particular aspects of internet crime such as identity theft, child pornography and personal theft have borne a shift in perceived responsibility from users and computer owners, to ISP's and law enforcement agencies. Whilst the responsibility betwixt them may appear balanced; the focus of both legal, and moral responsibility is focused increasingly on ISPs.
The rapid rise of computerised communications has raised very serious questions relating to the safety and security of their use. Just who can and can't read your email, access personal information and even use it themselves; have all become serious problems. With an increasing amount of personal information stored on, or via, the internet in recent times; the security of that information is of paramount concern to consumers generally. Whilst anonymity is the goal for most, in itself it throws up major obstacles for crime prevention. Some suggest that whilst anonymity can aid law enforcement track criminals without alerting them, it can also lead to widespread abuses of file sharing networks. Although these ideas are diametrically opposed, and cannot be easily reconciled, anonymity is nonetheless impossible. Given the amount of information that ISP's collect on their clients activities on-line, information appears readily available. There are major concerns about the vehicle the internet provides for personal snooping, both at a national and international level. The viability, and usefulness of user-end preventative solutions to such misuses of personal information seem lame, compared to the resourcefulness of those wanting to steal it. As early as 2004, the FBI has said that identity theft is the most pervasive and fastest-growing form of non-violent crime. Whether or not this is tacit recognition of the losing battle users may be facing, the need for increased security around personal information could not be as obvious. Some agree that it is entirely understandable that police and the ISP's should wish to develop mutual understanding and support, and to establish working relationships.
Another internet crime that often permeates social agendas and attention is child abuse and pornography. Whether or not because of overwhelming public outrage at offenders, or an inherent sense of responsibility, ISPs take an active role in detection, and prevention of child pornography. Although it is impossible to identify the amount of transmission of child porn that did not occur, one must assume that by demonstrating the ISPs utility in identifying suspected cases, they are reducing the incidents. When such cases are detected, the amount of media attention, and public fury generated are emblematic of a society keen to ensconce responsibility on someone. Whilst the most effective mechanisms to deal with such crimes are probably community based; there is little doubt that as acts of child abuse and victimisation via the Internet become more apparent, the efforts of ISPs will become more aggressive. ISPs certainly don't appear to be shirking their assumed responsibilities vis-à-vis the more heinous abuses of their services.
J. Rapoza, 'Who Am I?' E-Week. Aug 16. 2004. pp. 41
Y. Akdeniz, 'New Privacy Concerns: ISP's, Crime Prevention and Consumers' Rights', International Review of Law, Computers & Technology, Vol. 14(1), pp. 55-61. p.55.
P. Fox, 'ISP's Have to Step Up on Security', Computerworld, Dec 4. 2004, Vol. 38(15) pp. 20-21. p.21.
. Akdeniz, 'New Privacy Concerns: ISP's, Crime Prevention and Consumers' Rights', p.56
K.A. McCabe, 'The Role of Internet Service Providers in Cases of Child Pornography and Child Prostitution', Social Science Computer Review, Vol. 26(2), pp. 247-251. p. 248.
Ibid. p.250.
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