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Murdoch Paper Reporters Eavesdropped On Celebrities' Voicemail

Posted by timothy on from the have-a-whole-room-in-the-at&t-building-too dept.

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.

5 of 186 comments (clear)

  1. FTFA - default passwords by guruevi · · Score: 4, Informative

    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)

    --
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  2. Re:BT? by nebaz · · Score: 4, Informative

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

    --
    Rhymes that keep their secrets will unfold behind the clouds.There upon the rainbow is the answer to a neverending story
  3. Guardian Story by bmsleight · · Score: 4, Informative

    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

  4. Re:caller id spoofing != hacking by clone53421 · · Score: 4, Informative

    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.

    --
    Alexander Peter Kristopeit bought his basement from his mommy for one dollar.
  5. Re:Allegedly. by Jhon · · Score: 4, Informative

    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.