Oh Great! Hackers offer T-Mobile data to highest bidder

Group claims to have completely cracked T-Mobile

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

June 2009 - A group of hackers claims that they have completely cracked T-Mobile's network in the United States, and that they have stolen proprietary operating data, customer databases and financial records. So much for security.

A message posted on the Full Disclosure mailing list said that the hackers have emailed T-Mobile's rivals with an offer to sell the information, but that they had not heard back. They are now offering it to the highest bidder.

"We have everything, said the posting, their databases, confidential documents, scripts and programs from their servers, financial documents up to 2009".

"We already contacted their competitors and they didn't show interest in buying their data - probably because the mails got to the wrong people - so now we are offering them for the highest bidder. Please only serious offers, don't waste our time."

I must say that it may not so much be the case that the email got to the wrong people but that T-Mobile's competitors actually have some integrity. Good for them.

To substantiate the claims, the hackers posted material on the site which they claim came from T-Mobile's servers, although opinion is divided about its authenticity.

In the past such an offer would be highly unlikely, since it automatically draws the attention of law enforcement. Nevertheless, T-Mobile has said that it is investigating the claims.

"The protection of our customers' information, and the safety and security of our systems, is absolutely paramount at T-Mobile," said the company in a statement.

"Regarding the recent claim, we are fully investigating the matter. As is our standard practice, if there is any evidence that customer information has been compromised, we would inform those affected as soon as possible."

This could, though T-Mobile might claim that the material is not genuine that has been posted out of their own interests, also a fake claim by the supposed hackers trying to, maybe, blackmail T-Mobile.

There is just a possibility there and I think that we might see more and more of such activities, that is to say the cyber-blackmail that will claim “we have gotten at your data – pay us x-amount or we sell this”.

I might be wrong but then again I could be right.

© 2009
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