UKNM: This'll do wonders for confidence in ecommerce - not.

[Wallace, Darren]

 >From www.Silicon.com <http://www.Silicon.com> 

  

Hacker publishes credit card numbers on the Web


PUBLISHED: 0:25am on Tuesday 11th January 2000


Online retailers are still reeling this morning after a hacker broke into

music store www.CDuniverse.com and stole


25,000 credit card numbers.


In what could be the largest recorded credit card fraud on the Internet, the

hacker, simply known as 'Maxus', obtained


entry to the US company's 300,000 strong sales database and demanded over

60,000 in blackmail money.


After CD Universe refused to pay, Maxus published 25,000 numbers, expiry

dates and addresses on his Web site, and


advertised their availability on hacker news groups.


Some reports suggest the credit card details were available from 25 December

until last Sunday, when Internet service


provider Lightrealm shut down the hacker's site.


The incident could have serious ramifications for online retailers who have

repeatedly assured consumers the


Internet is a safe place to shop.


This morning, CD Universe's Web site still carried the reassuring message:

"CD Universe has successfully processed


over one hundred thousand credit-card transactions, without a single credit

card number being compromised. In February


1997 we were named one of the 10 best commerce sites in the world by PC Week

magazine."


According to Michael Walton, CEO of Internet consultancy, Nvision, it was an

accident waiting to happen. "It was


inevitable. Any hacker worth their salt likes the challenge," he said.


"It certainly says that credit card suppliers and retailers need to be

working ever more diligently to improve security


online. Bad publicity is worse than any financial loss," he added.


Most of CD Universe's customers will be covered for any losses - at least

after the first $50 - by their credit


card supplier. A spokesman for American Express confirmed its customers were

covered for fraudulent purchases made over the


Internet, and added that the company would work with any affected online

retailer to help tighten up security


procedures. The retailer and its software partner CyberCash are so far

keeping quiet about the incident.


Copyright 1998, 1999 NMTV/Silicon.com. All rights


reserved.


------------------------------------------------------------------ 

Darren Wallace Commercial Manager 

Ginger Online

darren [dot] wallaceginger [dot] com

+44(0)171 432 3328(t) +44(0)171 287 1844(f) 

+44(0)410 780 775(gsm) www.ginger.com 

1 Golden Square London W1R 4DJ UK 

------------------------------------------------------------------ 



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