Murdoch Paper Reporters Eavesdropped On Celebrities' Voicemail

Michael_Curator writes "Executives at Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.-owned papers (including current Tory spokesman Andy Coulson) allowed reporters to hack into phone conversations of celebrities and then paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to cover it up. How did famously technologically-challenged reporters manage the feat without BT catching on? Voicemail." The New York Times says a preliminary investigation's been ordered, but the BBC's coverage indicates that a large-scale inquiry is unlikely.

Comments

Police: No new enquiry

[gigne]

Police say no new evidence means no enquiry.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8143120.stm

One to keep a critical eye on

FTFA - default passwords

[guruevi]

It's not eavesdropping on full conversations - apparently they listened into some people's voicemail accounts by dialing the voicemail and then using default pin codes (eg. 0000 or 1234) to listen to the conversations.

There is not much you can do about it short of either changing your password or disabling voicemail or the carriers could inconvenience their customers by not allowing voicemail from other phone numbers (if that is at all possible)

Re:FTFA - default passwords

[rvw]

The police use their own voicemail password. In North America, it's usually 7782.

I don't care about North American police. We here on slashdot use 1337!

Re:FTFA - default passwords

[DigitAl56K]

Me:

Items #1&2 are a one time inconvenience when you get a new phone number. #3 adds 5 seconds to your call only when you use a different phone to check your voicemail. #4 just makes sense, and in the case that someone is getting DOS'd there could be a flag on the account customer service could set to use longer PINs that don't auto-lock.

You:

That would be annoying as hell.

Which part would be "annoying" - i.e. something you would have to do more than once ever (like setting your PIN), or something you would have to do anyway (i.e. entering it from another number)?

People like you are why we have stupid laws prohibiting things that most of us can handle responsibly blocked or prohibited for the sake of the retarded few.

To the contrary, it is people like you who make a poorly considered knee-jerk reaction to well considered discussions , speaking very loudly and making stupid accusations while doing so, that cause the very laws you're speaking of.

The overall impact of everything I suggested? For 99.9% of people all it would mean that after buying a new phone you were forced to set a PIN.

Feeding the trolls, I know..

Re:BT?

[nebaz]

If I would have to guess, Btitish Telecom? (Since they are talking about the BBC)

Re:BT?

[Em Emalb]

Back in my day, BT = British Telecom.

I would assume that that's what they mean by BT.

Guardian Story

[bmsleight]

This was originally a Guardian Story. It relates to mobile phones, not BT landline.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/jul/09/newsoftheworld-newsinternational

Re:caller id spoofing != hacking

[clone53421]

They weren't doing that. RTFA, they'd call the number and then dial the default PIN to try to access the voicemail. If the PIN hadn't been changed from the default, they'd be able to listen to all the messages.

Re:Everyones Enemy

[BigJClark]

Right, so your alternative is to assault the local news guy reporting on the new kitchen being opened up on the corner of broadway and 2nd?

I believe this is a intellectual forum. A forum for intellectuals. Maybe this isn't the best place for you to hang out.

Re:Allegedly.

[Jhon]

Hacking? Really?

The hacking of mobile phones was a simple trick known to many a tabloid reporter. (Call the mobile number, when it went to voicemail tap in the network default pin code. If the phone owner hadn't set a pin code you were in and could listen to voicemails.)

Sigh.