Top server host OVH warns of 'multi-stage' hacking attack

'Higher level of paranoia' suggests EU and US users should change passwords

French-based server host OVH has warned that its systems have been penetrated in a multi-stage attack that leaves US and European customers at risk.

OVH warns of "multi-stage" hacking attack

In an advisory on its forum board, the company warned that an attacker had gained control of a system administrator's account, and used that to gain access to a VPN account of one of the firm's backoffice staff. This was used to get the personal data of customers in Europe and from a hosting firm in Canada.

"Overall, in the coming months the back office will be under PCI-DSS which will allow us to ensure that the incident related to a specific hack on specific individuals will have no impact on our databases," the company said.

"In short, we were not paranoid enough so now we're switching to a higher level of paranoia. The aim is to guarantee and protect your data in the case of industrial espionage that would target people working at OVH."

European customers' surname, first name, nic, address, city, country, telephone, fax, and encrypted password are all open to the attackers, and customers of the firm's Canadian hosting company have ben advised to change SSH keys to ensure a secure connection.

Top server host OVH warns of 'multi-stage' hacking attack | The Register

Social engineering tops list of help desk security threats

Social engineering

Help desks are most commonly asked to assist users in addressing common IT problems including password resets and application and connectivity issues.

Often the performance of help desk employees is measured by how quickly they can serve callers and resolve the issue. Unfortunately, in many cases, security does not play a major role in the process and as a result, help desks have become an unintended entry point for hackers and malicious insiders attempting to gain access to sensitive enterprise resources.

Social engineering tops list of help desk security threats | Net-Security

AT&T hacker and internet troll 'Weev' appeals 41-month prison sentence

The Electronic Frontier Foundation on Monday filed an appeal seeking to free Andrew "Weev" Auernheimer, the hacker and self-described internet troll who exploited a hole in AT&T's publicly facing website to siphon the personal data of some 114,000 iPad owners.

AT&T hacker sentenced

Ultimately, Auernheimer was the catalyst behind AT&T fixing the gaping security hole he climbed through to get that information. He's currently serving a 41-month sentence at the Allenwood Federal Correctional Complex in White Deer, Pennsylvania, in the US.

AT&T hacker sentenced | Naked Security