Capital One

[JackDidley]

Security breach at Cap One. If the Equifax security breach did not get you, the Capital One probably did. It seems some woman got caught with her fingers in the database cookie jar and now our info is out there for the taking. Again.

[JackDidley]

From the NY Times.

A software engineer in Seattle hacked into a server holding customer data for Capital One and stole millions of credit card applications, federal prosecutors said on Monday. The engineer, Paige Thompson, gained access to 120,000 Social Security numbers and 77,000 bank account numbers, according to court papers, and tried to share the information with other users in an online chat group.

The company on Monday disclosed the breach, saying that about 100 million people over all were affected. “This information included personal information Capital One routinely collects at the time it receives credit card applications, including names, addresses, ZIP codes/postal codes, phone numbers, email addresses, dates of birth, and self-reported income,” the company said.

In an earlier breach in 2017, Capital One notified customers that a former employee may have had access for nearly four months to their personal data, including account numbers, telephone numbers, transaction history and Social Security numbers. The company reported a similar breach involving an employee in 2014.

[Synchro Joe]

[legion]

The hacker is a transgender woman with severe emotional problems. NYT glossed over that part.

[JackDidley]

Originally Posted by legion

The hacker is a transgender woman with severe emotional problems. NYT glossed over that part.

So, does she go to a mens prison or a womens prison ?

[Neilk]

Originally Posted by legion

The hacker is a transgender woman with severe emotional problems. NYT glossed over that part.

I am not sure that part is relevant to the story.

Isn't bragging about your hacks a big part of the hacker community? Sounds like she was a bit too cavalier in sharing her exploits which lead to her arrest. Fortunately she appears to have been in it for the bragging rights rather than selling all the info, or at least that's what it looks like for the time being.

[Clint Lando]

[Tidybuoy]

I get capital one mailers all the time. I usually open them, look at the interest rate, and then shred.

[cabmandone]

Anyone here need my social security number for anything??

[legion]

Originally Posted by Neilk

I am not sure that part is relevant to the story.

Isn't bragging about your hacks a big part of the hacker community? Sounds like she was a bit too cavalier in sharing her exploits which lead to her arrest. Fortunately she appears to have been in it for the bragging rights rather than selling all the info, or at least that's what it looks like for the time being.

If this person had attended a Tea Party rally, contributed to a local Republican, or retweeted something Donald Trump said on Twitter, it would be assumed to be the cause by the media.

[Rawknees'Turbo]

Originally Posted by legion

If this person had attended a Tea Party rally, contributed to a local Republican, or retweeted something Donald Trump said on Twitter, it would be assumed to be the cause by the media.

All of which are far greater offenses than being mentally ill and transgender.

[widebody911]

Tucking the hacker's plumbing aside for the moment...

I think this highlights these companies' fetish of collecting too much information and holding onto it way longer than is needed. Their lust to squeeze every last penny out of your data exposes you to risk, at virtually none to them; their only exposure vectors are the potential PR hit if they get caught, or for a competitor to collect and monetize the same data.

[berettafan]

Widebody I see what you did there! Comedy gold!

And agree on the over collection of data.

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by legion

The hacker is a transgender woman with severe emotional problems. NYT glossed over that part.

Thanks for that info. Totally germaine.

[berettafan]

it is relevant. if we agree it wise to keep folks with mental issues away from firearms then does it not follow we should keep them away from large amounts of sensitive information?

if I hire a severely emotionally disturbed person in my tax practice would you think twice before using my company?

[cairns]

it is relevant. if we agree it wise to keep folks with mental issues away from firearms then does it not follow we should keep them away from large amounts of sensitive information?

if I hire a severely emotionally disturbed person in my tax practice would you think twice before using my company?

Agree 100%. I wouldn't want that freak of nature anywhere near my books and records.

[gtc]

I'm not sure how so many of you can miss the point. Thompson didn't work for capital one.
This happened becuase Capital One failed to configure a cloud server properly.
These breaches continue because there is almost no motivation for these companies to secure our personal information.
It's like a bank leaving their doors open at night and then saying "Oh well, too bad, at least it wasn't our money" when someone walks in and steals a bag of cash.
And then, you, who's money was stolen says "hey! the thief is a gay purple martian! how disgusting! the outrage! build the wall!"

[JackDidley]

I am wondering what I need to do now. Freeze my credit. PITA. Maybe get a new SS number. I'd bet that is easier said than done. I buy everything with my cards. And mostly Capital One, they offer the most cash back.

[Rawknees'Turbo]

Originally Posted by gtc

. . .
And then, you, who's money was stolen says "hey! the thief is a gay purple martian! how disgusting! the outrage! build the wall!"

Some guys(?) here never pass up an opportunity to express their buckwild emo!

[widebody911]

Originally Posted by berettafan

if I hire a severely emotionally disturbed person in my tax practice would you think twice before using my company?

OTOH, in my field some of the most brilliant developers and systems guys I've known were in pretty bad shape with regards to basic social skills.