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| Version 11 | Version 12 |
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| Thousands of Hotmail users hacked | Thousands of Hotmail users hacked |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Microsoft has confirmed that thousands of Hotmail accounts have been compromised in a phishing attack. | Microsoft has confirmed that thousands of Hotmail accounts have been compromised in a phishing attack. |
| BBC News has seen a list of more than 10,000 e-mail accounts and passwords which had been posted online. | |
| The software giant, which owns the web-based e-mail system, said that it "had launched an investigation". | The software giant, which owns the web-based e-mail system, said that it "had launched an investigation". |
| Phishing involves using fake websites to lure people into revealing personal details such as bank accounts or login names and other private data. | Phishing involves using fake websites to lure people into revealing personal details such as bank accounts or login names and other private data. |
| "We are aware that some Windows Live Hotmail customers' credentials were acquired illegally and exposed on a website," said a Microsoft spokesperson. | "We are aware that some Windows Live Hotmail customers' credentials were acquired illegally and exposed on a website," said a Microsoft spokesperson. |
| "Upon learning of the issue, we immediately requested that the credentials be removed and launched an investigation to determine the impact to customers." | "Upon learning of the issue, we immediately requested that the credentials be removed and launched an investigation to determine the impact to customers." |
| Quick change | Quick change |
| Graham Cluley, consultant at security firm Sophos, told BBC News the published list may just be a subset of a longer list of compromised accounts. | |
| "We still don't know the scale of the problem," he told BBC News. | "We still don't know the scale of the problem," he told BBC News. |
| Technology blog neowin.net was the first to publish details of the attack. It said the accounts were posted on 1 October to pastebin.com, a website commonly used by developers to share code. | Technology blog neowin.net was the first to publish details of the attack. It said the accounts 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 10,028 names beginning with the letters A and B. | Although the details have since been removed, BBC News and Neowin has seen a list of 10,028 names beginning with the letters A and B. |
| BBC News has confirmed that the accounts are genuine and predominantly originate in Europe. | BBC News has confirmed that the accounts are genuine and predominantly originate in Europe. |
| The list included details of Microsoft's Windows Live Hotmail accounts with email addresses ending hotmail.com, msn.com and live.com. | The list included details of Microsoft's Windows Live Hotmail accounts with email addresses ending hotmail.com, msn.com and live.com. |
| Mr Cluley advised Hotmail users to change their password as soon as possible. | Mr Cluley advised Hotmail users to change their password as soon as possible. |
| "I'd also recommend that people change the password on any other site where they use it," he said. | "I'd also recommend that people change the password on any other site where they use it," he said. |
| Around 40% of people use the same password for every website they use, he added. | Around 40% of people use the same password for every website they use, he added. |
| Hotmail is currently the largest web-based e-mail service. | |
| Do you have a Hotmail e-mail account? Have you been affected by the issues in this story? Send us your experiences using the form below. | |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |