BT and Yahoo Email Services Compromised

Artie FischalArtie Fischal Posts: 1,034
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Hello there.

Earlier today, emails were sent from my entire address book. I had some replies, many from MailerDaemon. I put a warning up on Facebook to let my my friends know not to open any emails from me. I was shocked to learn that others had their accounts hacked into, too.
I contacted BT and they said they were aware of many accounts being compromised, They offered no apology and the explanation that they are upgrading their email service.
I just wondered if anybody on here has experienced the same today.
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Comments

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1
    Forum Member
    Hi, I had the same thing happen on Friday 1 March 2013 just before 11.00am. I got hundreds of those "undeliverable" messages in. I changed my password straight away and contacted BT who put me onto Yahoo. I was asked to check my machine and install the most up to date version of malware Bytes (I already had it on my machine). It found nothing. Right from the start I suspected BT or Yahoo or a combination of the two. So annoying. I have been told I cannot log on for 48 hours. I was receiving emails from people asking what the email I had just sent them was about - but I could not reply to warn them not to click on any links as my emailing rights were suspended. I am furious!!!
  • robertcrowtherrobertcrowther Posts: 262
    Forum Member
    carljfree wrote: »
    Hi, I had the same thing happen on Friday 1 March 2013 just before 11.00am. I got hundreds of those "undeliverable" messages in. I changed my password straight away and contacted BT who put me onto Yahoo. I was asked to check my machine and install the most up to date version of malware Bytes (I already had it on my machine). It found nothing. Right from the start I suspected BT or Yahoo or a combination of the two. So annoying. I have been told I cannot log on for 48 hours. I was receiving emails from people asking what the email I had just sent them was about - but I could not reply to warn them not to click on any links as my emailing rights were suspended. I am furious!!!

    After reading this thread I thought I better check my email account (As I never use it) and sure enough it has also been compromised. This is something BT/Yahoo must own upto as I have never logged into my email account since signing upto BT and I have never given my email address out.
  • GorbagGorbag Posts: 293
    Forum Member
    Hi,

    I received 2 spam emails from my Mum (very old and not the sort who visits dodgy websites or gives out passwords. Also one from a clients private email address and my wife got one from her dad. The coincidence seems to point to it being a lot of email accounts hacked simultaneously and therefore the account details/passwords have probably come from BT/yahoo. Not a virus.
  • Artie FischalArtie Fischal Posts: 1,034
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    Do BT/Yahoo really understand the seriousness of this sort of breach?
    I realise that NO virus is present but my address book has been hacked into. I have installed (and often paid for) security programs to stop this sort of thing happening. How can BT play it down so much?
  • GorbagGorbag Posts: 293
    Forum Member
    Do BT/Yahoo really understand the seriousness of this sort of breach?
    I realise that NO virus is present but my address book has been hacked into. I have installed (and often paid for) security programs to stop this sort of thing happening. How can BT play it down so much?

    Not sure how widespread it is. On some BT forums there are people complaining and also say that BT says it is a virus. Which it almost certainly is not. It seems to be very patchy though, so I am not sure how widespread it is

    http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20130302094109AAAbTPh

    http://community.bt.com/t5/Other-BB-Queries/BT-email-accounts-hacked/m-p/796782

    Here are some of the links I found
  • chrisjrchrisjr Posts: 33,282
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    It would be interesting to know if the problem only affects users who download mail to a PC based e-mail client only and never use the on-line service. Or if it affects anyone regardless of where they read e-mails and store contact details.

    If it only ever affects people who download all the messages and have no contacts stored on-line then BT may have a stronger case for suggesting it's a virus. But if it affects users who never download to a PC and even users whose PC has been switched off then it's more likely to be the on-line systems that have been hacked.
  • max99max99 Posts: 9,002
    Forum Member
    chrisjr wrote: »
    It would be interesting to know if the problem only affects users who download mail to a PC based e-mail client only and never use the on-line service. Or if it affects anyone regardless of where they read e-mails and store contact details.

    If it only ever affects people who download all the messages and have no contacts stored on-line then BT may have a stronger case for suggesting it's a virus. But if it affects users who never download to a PC and even users whose PC has been switched off then it's more likely to be the on-line systems that have been hacked.

    One of my contacts only use webmail and they were compromised on Friday. I checked their system and found nothing suspicious.

    I normally suspect that it's something that the user has done, but in this case, it looks like BT Yahoo have been compromised.
  • Artie FischalArtie Fischal Posts: 1,034
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    Further problems, yesterday, prompted me to visit the BT Community Forums.
    So far, there are 13 pages full of complaints by disgruntled users who have had their BTYahoo email accounts hacked into over the last few days.
    The Mod, on the site, reckons he has had a word with the BT security guys and they say the breaches are not down to them. Apparently, we have all opened phishing emails and that has allowed the hackers to access our address books.
    Interestingly, I was told by a man called Sandeep at BT Tech Helpline, on Saturday, that BT were aware of a problem with the email service. He told me it was their fault as there was some kind of glitch in upgrading to a new system.
    I have filed a complaint with BT. It will be interesting to see what lame excuse is on offer.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2
    Forum Member
    Hi everyone, I am a new member, well nearly, and I would like to comment on the above. Like many of you my BT Yahoo email account address book has been hacked, with hundreds of emails sent out.
    I complained that this coincided with the new template that BT foisted on us, they said my Macbook had a virus (its brand new 1 week old), to which I replied their was nothing wrong with my laptop and the problem lay with BT Yahoo. In line with their policy, I forwarded them at least 20 of these suspect emails.
    I received another email saying it was my email problem
    I then said in another reply yesterday that BT Yahoo has been hacked and they sould look at the web to see how many complaints there are.
    This morning I found my email has been disabled completely, I have tried everything to no avail, is this the response to my complaints?
    I sincerely hope not, my whole life is in these emails including my business, surely BT Yahoo could not be so childish
    Best Regards
  • Leas CliffLeas Cliff Posts: 6
    Forum Member
    The same thing happened to my wife's Yahoo Mail account yesterday and I asked a friend who found the following explanation of what has been happening.

    It appears that Yahoo (and therefore BT?) were aware and have been saying it has been fixed. Obviously not and BT should have the balls to own up and warn their customers, or have they?

    http://thenextweb.com/insider/2013/01/31/yahoo-mail-users-still-seeing-accounts-hacked-via-xss-exploit-amid-reports-yahoo-failed-to-fix-old-flaw/

    http://thenextweb.com/insider/2013/01/08/researchers-say-yahoo-mail-exploit-still-active-despite-claim-of-being-fixed/
  • Artie FischalArtie Fischal Posts: 1,034
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    mother3251 wrote: »
    Hi everyone, I am a new member, well nearly, and I would like to comment on the above. Like many of you my BT Yahoo email account address book has been hacked, with hundreds of emails sent out.
    I complained that this coincided with the new template that BT foisted on us, they said my Macbook had a virus (its brand new 1 week old), to which I replied their was nothing wrong with my laptop and the problem lay with BT Yahoo. In line with their policy, I forwarded them at least 20 of these suspect emails.
    I received another email saying it was my email problem
    I then said in another reply yesterday that BT Yahoo has been hacked and they sould look at the web to see how many complaints there are.
    This morning I found my email has been disabled completely, I have tried everything to no avail, is this the response to my complaints?
    I sincerely hope not, my whole life is in these emails including my business, surely BT Yahoo could not be so childish
    Best Regards

    Sorry to hear that. Get on to BT Tech helpline 0800 111 4567. They'll reset your password for you. Good luck.
  • heikerheiker Posts: 7,029
    Forum Member
    Hello there.

    Earlier today, emails were sent from my entire address book. I had some replies, many from MailerDaemon. I put a warning up on Facebook to let my my friends know not to open any emails from me. I was shocked to learn that others had their accounts hacked into, too.
    I contacted BT and they said they were aware of many accounts being compromised, They offered no apology and the explanation that they are upgrading their email service.
    I just wondered if anybody on here has experienced the same today.

    My account plus the accounts of two others have been hit in the last couple of days. Wasn't aware of this thread so started my own. This has nothing to do with BT or viruses or easy broken passwords it's totally down to Yahoo and the fact that they haven't sorted it out for months.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,889
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    my email is fine

    maybe you all have crappy passwords

    try MickeyMouseHomerSimpsonEricCartmanPeterGriffenLondon1

    your meant to have at least 4 characters, a capital, and numbers
  • heikerheiker Posts: 7,029
    Forum Member
    grps3 wrote: »
    my email is fine

    maybe you all have crappy passwords

    try MickeyMouseHomerSimpsonEricCartmanPeterGriffenLondon1

    your meant to have at least 4 characters, a capital, and numbers

    That is exactly what someone (with a long complicated password) said to me yesterday. And during the night their account was hacked.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2
    Forum Member
    Thanks to all who helped out here. I finally managed to get through on the telephone number given here in this topic, and they managed to reset my password and get me up and going again.
    I then received another call this afternoon in response to my emails, which was fine.
    I agree with the comments made, that BT or Yahoo, should accept these comments when hundreds of customers inform them of problems (overnight)
    Somebody somewhere in management is hiding the truth, but hey, we can only remind them of their responsibilities and their mandate to provide everyone with the best possible service
    I was really pleased to finally get going again with my email, its not until its suddenly gone, you realise you take so much for granted
  • thenetworkbabethenetworkbabe Posts: 45,569
    Forum Member
    Does digital spy send out emails offering BOGOF dvds? Never seen one before. Just found one in my spam filter? Trust no one has hacked their account if there's a rush of email account compromising going on ????
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,889
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    heiker wrote: »
    That is exactly what someone (with a long complicated password) said to me yesterday. And during the night their account was hacked.

    just checked again and its fine
    i use yahoo as my spam folder
    sites like here and every other site that send crappy email alerts go to yahoo ,
    i wouldn't care if it got compromised, but i have a secure password so i'm confident it will be fine
  • koantemplationkoantemplation Posts: 101,293
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    Does digital spy send out emails offering BOGOF dvds? Never seen one before. Just found one in my spam filter? Trust no one has hacked their account if there's a rush of email account compromising going on ????
    I've had those BOGOF DS emails.
  • heikerheiker Posts: 7,029
    Forum Member
    grps3 wrote: »
    just checked again and its fine
    i use yahoo as my spam folder
    sites like here and every other site that send crappy email alerts go to yahoo ,
    i wouldn't care if it got compromised, but i have a secure password so i'm confident it will be fine

    Where do you keep your contact list?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,889
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    heiker wrote: »
    Where do you keep your contact list?

    all my real emails goto my real email address that isnt yahoo

    so i guess my contact list is in there

    i just use yahoo as a junk email address
  • Sweet FASweet FA Posts: 10,913
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    Does digital spy send out emails offering BOGOF dvds? Never seen one before. Just found one in my spam filter? Trust no one has hacked their account if there's a rush of email account compromising going on ????
    I too received that yesterday (for the first time) and presume it's fine as it arrived into my inbox. Haven't clicked on it yet though...
  • flagpoleflagpole Posts: 44,641
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    I've had those BOGOF DS emails.

    Me too.
  • thenetworkbabethenetworkbabe Posts: 45,569
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    Sweet FA wrote: »
    I too received that yesterday (for the first time) and presume it's fine as it arrived into my inbox. Haven't clicked on it yet though...

    thanks i was wondering - but I still won't open it to see........
  • thenetworkbabethenetworkbabe Posts: 45,569
    Forum Member
    grps3 wrote: »
    just checked again and its fine
    i use yahoo as my spam folder
    sites like here and every other site that send crappy email alerts go to yahoo ,
    i wouldn't care if it got compromised, but i have a secure password so i'm confident it will be fine

    the problem comes if someone just buys the list of passwords?
  • heikerheiker Posts: 7,029
    Forum Member
    grps3 wrote: »
    all my real emails goto my real email address that isnt yahoo

    so i guess my contact list is in there

    i just use yahoo as a junk email address

    I take it that all mail goes to your Yahoo Account and the non spam mail is re-directed to another account.
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