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LinkedIn Warns 9.5 Million Lynda Users About Database Breach (neowin.net)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the profile-views dept.

Less than four weeks after Microsoft formally acquired LinkedIn for $26 billion, there's been a database breach. An anonymous reader writes: LinkedIn is sending emails to 9.5 million users of Lynda.com, its online learning subsidiary, warning the users of a database breach by "an unauthorized third party". The affected database included contact information for at least some of the users. An email to customers says "while we have no evidence that your specific account was accessed or that any data has been made publicly available, we wanted to notify you as a precautionary measure." Ironically, the breach comes less than a month after Russia blocked access to LinkedIn over privacy concerns.
LinkedIn has also reset the passwords for 55,000 Lynda.com accounts (though apparently many of its users don't have accounts with passwords).

8 of 35 comments (clear)

  1. Ha ha ha ha by JustAnotherOldGuy · · Score: 4, Funny

    LinkedIn: Don't blame us, Microsoft is in charge now.

    Microsoft: Don't blame us, we just own the company.

    --
    Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
  2. You mean 9.5 million user by OffTheLip · · Score: 2

    actually accepted the lynda offer? Wow!

    1. Re:You mean 9.5 million user by ckatko · · Score: 2

      My boss wanted me to sign up for it. Then I saw it needed a credit card. Then I checked their online reviews for billing practices and saw the scam.

      I told him "You want to give me a company credit card, go ahead. But I'm not compromising mine."

  3. They don't have passwords because... by MikeDataLink · · Score: 2

    Lots of Lynda customers are businesses who use Federated Services logins.

    --
    Mike @ The Geek Pub. Let's Make Stuff!
  4. Happy I cancelled by houghi · · Score: 2

    Happy I cancelled when they where bought.

    --
    Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
  5. I wonder by buss_error · · Score: 3, Interesting

    If anyone would notice that their data from Linked In leaked. I mean, LinkedIn is such a data mining fanatic, it'd be hard to tell the difference between their normal spamming and spyware and someone else using that same data.

    --
    Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves.
  6. 9.5 million by frovingslosh · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Amateurs" - Yahoo

    --
    I'm an American. I love this country and the freedoms that we used to have.
  7. Congress needs to act by modmans2ndcoming · · Score: 2

    This is crazy. There are best practices that need to be followed for datasets. We need an agency (similar yo what the FCC does) setup to set legal requirements for data systems that hold US resident's information, such as Hashing technologies to use, network security technologies, etc.

    Additionally we need a law that says all companies that allow US residents to create accounts need to provide a verifiable method for people to delete their data stored on their servers (Accounts, contact information, billing information, etc)