Plusnet asks customers to change e-mail account passwords after hackers attack

Internet Business News, May 23, 2007

INTERNET BUSINESS NEWS-(C)1995-2007 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

UK Internet provider Plusnet has asked customers to change the password for their account after the company was attacked by malicious hackers, who gained control of a mail server and stole a list of e-mail addresses.

Plusnet said the e-mail addresses list was used by spammers to send substantial junk mail to its customers from mid-May and that some customers may have downloaded a trojan as a result of the attack. It confirmed the list of addresses stolen included accounts used by customers to access the webmail system, along with e-mail addresses in the online contacts lists and addresses used to send e-mail from online accounts.

The company's webmail system, which enables users to access their e-mail messages via Plusnet's website, was taken offline permanently at midday 16 May, while the company worked to resolve the problem following the attack early this month.

Plusnet claimed it was unsure of how many e-mail addresses were stolen and stated in a note to customers that it is impossible to close the unexploited loopholes. It has set up a replacement webmail service to enable customers to access their online accounts, according to BBC news.

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