A Single Breach Behind Leaks at Walgreens, McDonald's, DeviantART and 100 Other Companies

A single intruder is supposed to be involved in the current revealation of the email databases of customers from organizations including McDonald's deviantART or Walgreens. As a result of which, 100 firms and organizations are estimated to be affected, as reported in news published in Softpedia on December 15, 2010.

FBI agents, who are resolving the theft of McDonald's customer data suspects similar violations to have infected more than 100 other companies that employs email marketing services from Atlanta-based Silverpop Systems, as reported in The Register on December 15, 2010.

During the past week (early December 2010), two other sites among which one is known to have ties with Silverpop provided their customers with similar warnings. A website previlaged with more than 16 Million registered accounts, "deviantART" informed its users that all their personal details including email address, names, and birth dates had been hacked by suspected spammers due to infringement on the front of the email provider.

Atlanta-based Silverpop Systems, a self-acclaimed leader and provider of email marketing solutions, is held responsible for all the leaks, as reported in The Register.

The violation is confirmed to be in the possession of Silverpop, which is a provider of email service enjoying a total of 105 customers as reported by a Special Agent at Atlanta field office of FBI reports Stephen Emmett on The Register on December 15, 2010. Even the authorities are advised to maintain alert.

Recently, US-based drugstore chain, Walgreens also acclaimed the hackers have stolen a customer list and they are using it for sending phishing emails with additional personal information.

In a state of enjoying reliable relationship with Silverpop, Arc Worldwide is assumed to face massive disaster as its customer include organizations such as Procter & Gamble McDonald's, Symantec, Comcast, Coca-Cola, Nestlé Purina, RIM, United, Whirlpool Corporation, and many others.

Another Arc Worldwide client, Walgreen confronted last week the breach faced by the mailing list of its customer.

Adding fuel to fire, a company spokesperson reported to The Register that since the company was a technology provider, a broader arena of cyber attack is possible.

Related article: A New "Blackmailing" Variant Creeps Around…

» SPAMfighter News - 12/25/2010