Livestream Warns Customers Of Possible Data Breach
Warns customers to reset passwords after ‘third party’ accesses sensitive account information
The video live streaming platform Livestream has emailed its customers to warn them of a possible data breach.
The email said customers should reset their Livestream passwords, after admitting that an unauthorised person may have accessed its customer accounts database.
Data Breach
The company said that account information, including names, dates of birth, phone numbers, email addresses and encrypted passwords may have been accessed.
“We recently discovered that an unauthorised person may have accessed our customer accounts database,” the company was quoted as saying by Engadget.
“While we are still investigating the full scope of the incident, it is possible that some of your account information may have been accessed,” the company stated. “This may include name, email address, an encrypted version of your password, and if you provided it to us, date of birth and/or phone number.”
“We do not store credit card or other payment information,” it added. “We have no indication that the encrypted passwords have been decoded, but in an abundance of caution, we are requiring all users to reset their passwords
Worried users can click here to reset their passwords.
Password Reuse
The obvious danger with this breach is that people tend to reuse their passwords for multiple websites and services, a point made by security expert Graham Cluley.
“Obviously it would be wise to ensure that you are not reusing your LiveStream password anywhere else on the net,” said Cluley. “Password reuse is perhaps the biggest problem with passwords – worse than choosing easy-to-guess passwords.”
“If you do make the mistake of reusing passwords, you are running the risk of having your password compromised in one place (perhaps via a phishing attack or key logger) and then hackers using it to unlock your other online accounts,” he warned.
He recommended that customers burdened with password overload use password management software such as LastPass, 1Password, and KeePass.
“Even if passwords have not been cracked, there remains the potential for anyone who has accessed LiveStream’s customer database to use it to send spam emails and phishing campaigns – so please be on your guard,” warned Cluley.
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