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Massive Porn Buyer Info Leak

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the get-off-the-internet-this-is-a-sign dept.

Anonymous Guy wrote to mention a Wired article that covers the release of information for millions of customers onto the Internet. From the article: "The stolen data, examined by Wired News, includes names, phone numbers, addresses, e-mail addresses and internet IP addresses. Other fields in the compromised databases appear to be logins and passwords, credit-card types and purchase amounts, but credit-card numbers are not included. The breach has broad privacy implications for the victims. Until it was brought low by legal and financial difficulties, iBill was a top credit-card processor for adult entertainment websites."

2 of 251 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Weakest Link by Alex+P+Keaton+in+da · · Score: 5, Informative

    Um, anytime I buy something "questionable" or from a questionable source, I use a one time credit card number. I know MBNA has this. You set a dollar amount for the number, as well an expiry date. It is great for sites with auto renewing subscriptions. I use them all the time for 3 day 1.99 trials. I set the card limit at 2.50, use the number, and then forget about it. When they try and charge me, they get nothing but an expired card.
    My understanding is that most identity theft is still done the old fashion way- with garbage diving etc. When I was in college, I bartended. I could have easily written down every credit card number that was handed to me....
    But clearly this is more of a privacy issue. Even if nothing is stolen from me, I would prefer that my name not be associated with porn purchases. But then again, who am I kidding, everyone that meets me just assumes I am into porn. I guess it is my vibe.

    --
    And All I Ask is a Tall Ship And a Star to Steer Her By
  2. Everyone seems to be forgetting... by Psykosys · · Score: 5, Informative
    that an estimated 25% of the transactions weren't for porn. Unless the customer information is associated with the purchase information (it sounded to me like the account axx infomation was in separate, unlinked records), the leak has much fewer social implications than commenters here seem to be implying.

    Livejournal, for example, was offering payment through iBill during the time covered by the leak (run that link through Archive.org if you care to verify, /. filters the part following the asterisk).