In an attempt to reassure its users over "security issue," LinkedIn has sent an email explaining the facts about the hack, detailing the information involved and the steps the company is taking to protect its social network users.
According to the website news.com.au, LinkedIn went into further detail on Thursday, May 26, explaining the circumstances and consequences of the 2012 hack. Back then, the cyberattack involved a hacker who was able to steal more than 100 million identities on the social media network.
The hacker has been identified as "Peace" by Motherboard. He was advertising online on two hacker sites the sale of account information, logins, passwords and e-mails of 117 million LinkedIn users.
In the e-mail, it is explained that on May 17, 2016, LinkedIn has become aware that data stolen back in 2012 were made available online. At the time of the breach, LinkedIn only had 165 million accounts. However, the hack may include users who have used Facebook to log in LinkedIn.
The identities of the 117 million LinkedIn users were mostly being sold for the value of five bitcoins on an illegal marketplace called The Real Deal, part of the dark web. A source behind the hack told the publication the security breach is only coming to surface now.
Back in 2012, before the data stolen were spread online, people may not have taken it very seriously. The same source added, "the database was kept within a small group of Russians."
In the e-mail sent to its users, LinkedIn explained how the hacker stole member passwords, e-mail addresses and LinkedIn members' IDs from 2012 and the immediate steps the social media network took to invalidate the passwords of accounts believed at risk.
LinkedIn "security issue" made other social networks worried as well. Tech Radar reports that, following the recent major password leak that hit LinkedIn, Microsoft has announced a ban on commonly used weak passwords. Microsoft users will have to make an effort to choose passwords that show a minimum level of security.
