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Consumer Database Company Hacked
fermion writes "The NYT(FRR) and others are reporting that a hacker has broken into a Acxiom server. Acxiom evidently is "one of the world's largest consumer database companies" and serves most top credit card companies and retail banks. There are a few items that stand out in this case. First, Acxiom had no idea that the breach occurred until the company was contacted by the police. Second, the theft was an inside job. The suspect, now in police custody, was an employee with legitimate access to the information. It amazes me that a such a company would have such lax security as to allow an insider to browse supposedly private data at will. Third, the company is taking no responsibility for the break in other than reporting it to the clients, who then may or may not inform their customers." Acxiom is a Certified Participant in the BBBOnline Privacy Program.
Why doesn't the article mention what software they were using?
My bet is they had Linux/Apache and MySQL. That is a shaky setup at best, that is just *asking* to get hacked.
I setup over a dozen e-commerce solutions for my clients, and they all are running Win2003 server with IIS 6.0 and MSSQL2000, and not a SINLE ONE has ever been hacked.
-Bill Sanders
MCSE/MCSD
This makes me even more supportive of a national database. It should include EVERYTHING. You know after all, that ppl who work for the government are benevolent above corporate employees after all.
If this country were run by vegetarian women, rather than meat eating men, this never would have happened. What causes war? Men. Why do men cause war? Red meat. I think a worldwide ban on red-meat for men should be put in place immediately. Until that time, we can never have world peace. In the future I envision, every house has at least 2 computers. Each of them running MS software exclusively. In the family room, a game console. PS2? Hell no. Only the xbox exists in my future. Linux will be abolished. Once SCO is done suing, MS can buy them, and we won't have to worry about geeks running this crap anymore. Secondly, I think bill gates is great. I mean, the guy really knows whats going on. I think some MS justice should be delivered swiftly to this corporation, to ensure a security breach of this nature never occurs again. Third: ??? Fourth: Linux sucks. I'd sooner use my apple IIC then run linux. Viva Gates!