[Dataloss] UK: Hackers force mass website closures (Fasthosts)

[security curmudgeon]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: InfoSec News <alerts at infosecnews.org>

http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article3007298.ece

By Simon de Bruxelles
The Times
December 6, 2007

Hundreds of websites have been shut down temporarily by one of the largest 
web hosting companies in Britain after the personal details of customers 
were stolen by computer hackers.

The hackers managed to access the master database of Fasthosts for 
information, including addresses, bank details, e-mails and passwords.

The action is expected to lose vital business for hundreds of small 
companies in the run-up to Christmas.

Fasthosts claimed that it had no option other than to perform an emergency 
shutdown after it discovered that the hackers had tried to use information 
gleaned from its servers. New passwords had to be sent out by post rather 
than e-mail to avoid the information being compromised again.

[..]