Yahoo Inc. is rectifying whether an unknown hacker access to its user account data, following data a 2014 hack that caused in the theft of more than 500 million user data account records.
Yahoo claimed to law- enforcement that, “began sharing certain data that they indicated was given by a hacker who stated that the information was Yahoo user account data.” On this statement Yahoo told that, “it would analyze and investigate the hacker’s claim.” But the company declined to elaborate to this statement.
The user account information taken carries email address, names, telephone numbers, hashed passwords, date of birth and, in the same cause, encrypted security questions and answers, the company said. Their investigation so far indicates that the stolen information did not include payment card data, unprotected passwords or bank account information, as payment card and bank data are not stored in the affected system mainly.
Experts of Yahoo are mainly looking at evidence that indicates a “state-sponsored actor” breached in Yahoo’ system and could have gained user data by creating “cookies” that bypassed password protection. At present, they do not believe that currently possible for the attackers to forge valid Yahoo Mail cookies, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Yahoo has insisted the attack did not have any material impact. Marissa Mayer, Yahoo chief executive, said in its earnings statement last month that she had been heartened by user loyalty and engagement trends which showed page views, searches and mail messages sent and read had all stayed flat before and after the announcement of the breach.
Last month, Verizon Communications Inc. Chief Executive Lowell McAdam said that his company is finding whether the hack will have a material impact on Yahoo’s business, raising the possibility that Verizon might renegotiate its USD 4.8 billion deal to acquire Yahoo’s core business.
But presently, Yahoo declined to comment further beyond its filing, citing its ongoing investigation and also Verizon is also not giving any statement on it.
Yahoo Investigating New Massive Hacks in User Data
