Hacker Penetrates T-Mobile Systems

[Mike Temporale]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.securityfocus.com/news/10271' target='_blank'>http://www.securityfocus.com/news/10271</a><br /><br /></div><i>"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. Twenty-one year-old Nicolas Jacobsen was quietly charged with the intrusions last October, after a Secret Service informant helped investigators link him to sensitive agency documents that were circulating in underground IRC chat rooms. The informant also produced evidence that Jacobsen was behind an offer to provide T-Mobile customers' personal information to identity thieves through an Internet bulletin board, according to court records."</i><br /><br />8O This is a very interesting read. Kevin Poulsen, as always, has the full scoop on T-Mobiles security lapse. Shocking to say the least.

[rzanology]

This makes me feel much better about my recent switch from t-mobile to att. That is scary!

[lurch]

What an interesting read!! Thanks for posting it...

[ricksfiona]

The more I thought about this, the more I thought it was like the 'Patriot Act' in reverse. In a way, the government is getting a taste of their own medicine.

When I read about the Itentity theft part, that's just wrong! The guy should get nailed to the wall for that.

Unfortunately, the more people the government pisses off, the more this kind of thing is going to happen to them. The more they try to clamp down on people's rights, the more people will try stick it right back to them.

And hardcore computer geeks and more than happy to give that a try.

[possmann]

Holy identity theft Batman! and the fact that T-mo DID NOT notify customers when they knew about this back in July!?!?! I'm not liking that at all.

sigh... You know T-mo does have great customer service and excellent rates, but I think there are things lacking (like selection of phones in the US and other things) that would warrant T-Mo GMBH to give T-Mo sernior executives a very nice spanking (or firing).

[Jerry Raia]

This is just one case we know about. Imagine what they might not tell us or if similar things are going on now without anyone knowing. :worried:

[Kris Kumar]

Holy identity theft Batman! and the fact that T-mo DID NOT notify customers when they knew about this back in July!?!?! I'm not liking that at all.

I agree... :twisted:

This is just great, while hackers can get in and view my account. Departments within T-Mobile cannot access my account info or see it properly. This is just great. Recently while trying to get a SIM unlock code, T-Mobile SIM unlock dept told me that I don't have more than 90 days of service history with them. In reality I have been with them for around 2 years now. :roll:

[Kris Kumar]

According to an article in WSJ...

T-Mobile said the customers whose records were viewed were notified in writing, but said that customer credit-card information wasn't accessed.

[PPCMD]

Very disturbing to say the least. T-Mo will no doubt be sued and should also be fined for allowing such information to be hacked into. They should have better security and control measures.

I know the BJ' Wholesale club in my area was one of the affected locations who had credit card info stolen by a hacker. They claimed they didn't know what cards were affected so everyone who shopped there during a certain time frame was cautioned to watch their accounts. Sorry I got new cards with new numbers no thanks on the wait and see approach.

[Mike Temporale]

Very disturbing to say the least. T-Mo will no doubt be sued and should also be fined for allowing such information to be hacked into. They should have better security and control measures.

A company of this size, should be having independent security audits done of their network to help prevent and correct these issues before they get exploited. A mis-configured proxy server should never have gone undetected for this long.

Unfortunately, for some reason, companies tend to think it could never happen to them - until it does.

:twak: