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'One billion' affected by Yahoo hack | 'One billion' affected by Yahoo hack |
(35 minutes later) | |
Yahoo has said more than one billion user accounts may have been affected in a hacking attack dating back to 2013. | Yahoo has said more than one billion user accounts may have been affected in a hacking attack dating back to 2013. |
The internet giant said it appeared separate from a 2014 breach disclosed in September, when Yahoo revealed 500 million accounts had been accessed. | The internet giant said it appeared separate from a 2014 breach disclosed in September, when Yahoo revealed 500 million accounts had been accessed. |
Yahoo said names, phone numbers, passwords and email addresses were stolen, but not bank and payment data. | Yahoo said names, phone numbers, passwords and email addresses were stolen, but not bank and payment data. |
The company, which is being taken over by Verizon, said it was working closely with the police and authorities. | The company, which is being taken over by Verizon, said it was working closely with the police and authorities. |
Yahoo said it "believes an unauthorised third party, in August 2013, stole data associated with more than one billion user accounts". | Yahoo said it "believes an unauthorised third party, in August 2013, stole data associated with more than one billion user accounts". |
The breach "is likely distinct from the incident the company disclosed on September 22, 2016". | The breach "is likely distinct from the incident the company disclosed on September 22, 2016". |
However, the three-year-old hack was uncovered as part of continuing investigations by authorities and security experts into the 2014 breach, Yahoo said. | However, the three-year-old hack was uncovered as part of continuing investigations by authorities and security experts into the 2014 breach, Yahoo said. |
Account users were urged to change their passwords and security questions. | Account users were urged to change their passwords and security questions. |
The California-based company has more than a billion monthly active users, although many people have multiple accounts. There are also many accounts that are little used or dormant. | The California-based company has more than a billion monthly active users, although many people have multiple accounts. There are also many accounts that are little used or dormant. |
Vulnerability | Vulnerability |
Cyber security expert Troy Hunt told the BBC: "This would be far and away the largest data breach we've ever seen. In fact, the 500 million they reported a few months ago would have been, and to see that number now double is unprecedented." | |
Yahoo said some of the breach could be linked to state-sponsored activity, as with the previous attack. | |
Prof Peter Sommer, a specialist in digital forensics at Birmingham City University, told the BBC he could be persuaded it was a state-sponsored hack, "but at the moment I'm not". | |
"What on earth is a state going to do with one billion accounts of ordinary users? That's the difficulty I have," he said. | |
In September, when Yahoo disclosed the 2014 data breach, the company said information had been "stolen by what we believe is a state-sponsored actor", but it did not say which country it held responsible. | In September, when Yahoo disclosed the 2014 data breach, the company said information had been "stolen by what we believe is a state-sponsored actor", but it did not say which country it held responsible. |
Yahoo knew of 'state-backed' hack in 2014 | Yahoo knew of 'state-backed' hack in 2014 |
Verizon: Yahoo data breach may hit deal | Verizon: Yahoo data breach may hit deal |
Senators demand answers over Yahoo hack | Senators demand answers over Yahoo hack |
The latest disclosure raises fresh questions about Verizon's $4.8bn proposed acquisition of Yahoo, and whether the US mobile carrier will try to modify or abandon its bid. | The latest disclosure raises fresh questions about Verizon's $4.8bn proposed acquisition of Yahoo, and whether the US mobile carrier will try to modify or abandon its bid. |
'Pattern of serious failures' | 'Pattern of serious failures' |
If the hacks cause a user backlash against Yahoo, the company's services would not be as valuable to Verizon. | If the hacks cause a user backlash against Yahoo, the company's services would not be as valuable to Verizon. |
Verizon said that it would evaluate the situation as Yahoo investigates and would review the "new development before reaching any final conclusions". | Verizon said that it would evaluate the situation as Yahoo investigates and would review the "new development before reaching any final conclusions". |
Mr Hunt said that Verizon allegedly cut its valuation of Yahoo by $1bn - almost 20% of the original bid's value - after the news emerged of the 2014 attack. | |
The latest revelations "will surely impact that valuation even further, not just because of the scale of it, but because it shows a pattern of serious failures on Yahoo's behalf", he said. | The latest revelations "will surely impact that valuation even further, not just because of the scale of it, but because it shows a pattern of serious failures on Yahoo's behalf", he said. |
It is a further embarrassment to a company that was once one of the biggest names of the internet but which has failed to keep up with rising stars such as Google and Facebook. | It is a further embarrassment to a company that was once one of the biggest names of the internet but which has failed to keep up with rising stars such as Google and Facebook. |
Yahoo was once deemed to be worth $125bn during the dotcom boom. Various attempts to revive its fortunes have failed to stem its decline. | Yahoo was once deemed to be worth $125bn during the dotcom boom. Various attempts to revive its fortunes have failed to stem its decline. |
Analysis: Dave Lee, North America technology reporter | Analysis: Dave Lee, North America technology reporter |
Good grief, can things get any worse for Yahoo? A complete disaster. Embarrassing. Negligent? | Good grief, can things get any worse for Yahoo? A complete disaster. Embarrassing. Negligent? |
We've come to accept that even the best systems get attacked by cyber criminals. But repeatedly? And in such great numbers? Something was seriously, seriously wrong. | We've come to accept that even the best systems get attacked by cyber criminals. But repeatedly? And in such great numbers? Something was seriously, seriously wrong. |
Looking to the future, this is yet more concern for Verizon, which agreed to buy Yahoo before all of these disasters were made public. | Looking to the future, this is yet more concern for Verizon, which agreed to buy Yahoo before all of these disasters were made public. |
It wanted the company because of its huge user-base and advertising reach. How many of those users are going to stick around when this kind of thing is going on? What's in it for them? | It wanted the company because of its huge user-base and advertising reach. How many of those users are going to stick around when this kind of thing is going on? What's in it for them? |
There's talk of a discount on the $4.8bn Verizon agreed to pay out. It's a game of how-low-can-you-go in the new year, you'd think. | There's talk of a discount on the $4.8bn Verizon agreed to pay out. It's a game of how-low-can-you-go in the new year, you'd think. |