01-12-2005, 09:00 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
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US T-Mobile Customer Data Exposed To Hacker For Over One Year
http://www.securityfocus.com/news/10271
"A sophisticated computer hacker had access to servers at wireless giant T-Mobile for at least a year, which he used to monitor U.S. Secret Service e-mail, obtain customers' passwords and Social Security numbers, and download candid photos taken by Sidekick users, including Hollywood celebrities, SecurityFocus has learned."
I want to take this opportunity and absolve myself of any and all statements about bluetooth being dead. I understand from a recent "Portals" column in the Wall Street Journal by Lee Gomes that cell phones and wireless headsets basically saved the much maligned and major hassle-to-fool-with wireless {non}standard in the US. Never the less, it was this hacker that had obtained my Pocket PC Thoughts user id and password during one of my many GPRS sessions and was posting all of those "bluetooth is dead" posts in my name. :worried:
Ok, nothing to see here. :idontthinkso: Move along. Check your T-Mobile statement for unusual activity.
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01-12-2005, 09:07 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 797
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The Secret Service uses T-Mobile!?!
Sorry... Guess I was shocked at the wrong part of the story :mrgreen:
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01-12-2005, 09:27 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,202
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:jawdrop: Holy Cow! Unusual activity on a TMobile statement is probably the least of our worries. The Hacker apparently had access to, and was offering for sale - names, addresses and SSN's. I think it will be a good idea for TMobile customers to keep an eye on their credit report for any unusual activity. There is a lot of potential for identity theft in this story.
I am amazed that TMobile has not issued a statement to it's customers warning them of this possibility.
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01-12-2005, 09:34 PM
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Magi
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,186
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Just swell. Regarding T-Mobile's lack of communication:
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T-Mobile, which apparently knew of the intrusions by July of last year, has not issued any public warning. Under California's anti-identity theft law "SB1386," the company is obliged to notify any California customers of a security breach in which their personally identifiable information is "reasonably believed to have been" compromised. That notification must be made in "the most expedient time possible and without unreasonable delay," but may be postponed if a law enforcement agency determines that the disclosure would compromise an investigation.
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I understand why they didn't say anything previously, but as a T-Mobile customer, I'll be mighty upset if they don't issue a press release within the next few hours.
Another thing that burns me up about this is that the SS is trying to give the little creep a job. Sure, no one knows criminals like another criminal, but that doesn't mean that you have to EMPLOY them. :evil:
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01-12-2005, 09:36 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 717
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by whydidnt
:jawdrop: Holy Cow! Unusual activity on a TMobile statement is probably the least of our worries. The Hacker apparently had access to, and was offering for sale - names, addresses and SSN's. I think it will be a good idea for TMobile customers to keep an eye on their credit report for any unusual activity. There is a lot of potential for identity theft in this story.
I am amazed that TMobile has not issued a statement to it's customers warning them of this possibility.
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Are you really that amazed? A public announcement by a public company would cost the company millions of dollars, a quiet arrest will save as much if not more in the long run. Make no mistake, T-Moblie consulted their legal team before anything was done. At the end of the day it is always the share price that matters the most not the clients. Also if T-Moblie made a public announcement that would be equivalent to the admission of quilt whereby this way they are playing a victim and I am sure collecting the insurance money one way or another. Now think about things we never actually hear about that take place.
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01-12-2005, 09:37 PM
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Magi
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,186
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Re: US T-Mobile Customer Data Exposed To Hacker For Over One Year
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Originally Posted by Ed Hansberry
I want to take this opportunity and absolve myself of any and all statements about bluetooth being dead...it was this hacker that had obtained my Pocket PC Thoughts user id and password during one of my many GPRS sessions and was posting all of those "bluetooth is dead" posts in my name. :worried:
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Smooth, Ed. :mrgreen: Maybe in future you (or your hacker) could say that Bluetooth is merely resting. Or pining for the fjords, as it were. 
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01-12-2005, 09:41 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 181
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Wow. I don't get why people find it so fun to do this.... I simply couldn't and I'm happy about that. Luckily, I'm a Rogers customer, and I can't even afford the GPRS rates they charge ($25 a month for like 1 or 2MB... 8O) so I'm stuck on WAP. Hopefully the introduction of EV-DO and other wireless technologies in Canada to come soon drive these prices down. Anyways, it looks like that creep did lots of damage... if he had never been detected, he could have done A LOT more too... 
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01-12-2005, 09:54 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 32
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Wonderful.....
If anyone sees my ssn number and t-mobile number floating around, will you be so kind as to let me know?
After reading the article, it seems as if our justice system is hard a work again. Instead of throwing the book at the kid, the Secret Service looks like they are going to offer him a cushy office job. :roll:
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01-12-2005, 09:54 PM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 540
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If you read the entire article, you'll see that the state of CA legally requires companies to notify customers when an event like this happens, unless a legal agency feels that it will negatively impact the investigation.
My guess is that the Secret Service has asked T-Mobile to be quite about this. I can't think of any other reason that they'd break the CA law.
Depending on how this story was released/leaked, I'd imagine that T-Mobile may still not be able to comment on it.
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01-12-2005, 10:00 PM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 540
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by cubed
After reading the article, it seems as if our justice system is hard a work again. Instead of throwing the book at the kid, the Secret Service looks like they are going to offer him a cushy office job. :roll:
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That does sound crazy.
I wonder if they're doing that to "use him" to bust even more people than they would have if they just busted him hard?
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