Ameritrade Security Audit Finds Privacy-Busting Back Door

RalphTheWonderLlama writes "In recent months, online stock brokers have apparently been upset by the sale of their email addresses to spammers. Today TD Ameritrade released details of their investigation into the matter (along with a video message from the CEO and special FAQ). It seems some 'unauthorized code' had exposed client email addresses and possibly other sensitive information from an internal database. 'TD Ameritrade tracked down the break-in while doing an internal investigation into stock-related spam. The company called in forensic investigators and they discovered "unauthorized code" in their system that provided access for the hacker or hackers. According to the advisory, the code has been eliminated from the system. Moglia, speaking in an online video-taped message to customers, said he is "confident" that they have figured out how the information was taken.'"

Comments

and the rich get richer

[tidokoro]

I'm actually a TD account holder and wouldn't mind seeing them punished for this. Unfortunately, I've never been party to a class-action suit that even came to close to compensating me for the time I took to fill out whatever forms I needed to fill out much less what I had actually loss as part of the class. From the last class-action I joined:

Dear Claimant,

The Proof of Claim and Release you submitted with respect to the In re [Bankrupt Company] Securities Litigation has been processed under the terms and conditions of the Stipulations of Settlement and Second Distribution Order as approved by the United States District Court for the Easter District of New York. Please be advised such Stipulation and Order provides:

"If such Authorized Claimant is allocated less than $10.00 in value from the remaining Settlement Fund, then such Authorized Claimant shall not receive a further distribution from the Settlement Fund, and such amounts shall be re-allocated among the remaining Authorized Claimants."

Based upon these terms, we regret to inform you the proration of your share of the Settlement Fund, as approved by the Court, would amount to less than ten dollars ($10.00). Therefore you will not receive a distribution from the Settlement Fund.

Sincerely,
Claims Administrator