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KrebsonSecurity is reporting that the online "cheating" site AshleyMadison.com (and other sites run by the Avid Life Media group) has been hacked with user information compromised by a group called the Impact Team.
The group is threatening to release all data online as a result of alleged lies the ALM group told members unless the sites are entirely shut down.
"Full Delete netted ALM $1.7mm in revenue in 2014. It's also a complete lie," the hacking group wrote. "Users almost always pay with credit card; their purchase details are not removed as promised, and include real name and address, which is of course the most important information the users want removed."
AshleyMadison.com does offer a $20 "Full Delete" option for a users profile, as detailed in this ArsTechnica article from 2014. Obviously, this "Full Delete" is now useless, as the information is already (allegedly) in the hands of the hackers.
Is this a case of altruistic hacking or a possible case of revenge?
(Score: 4, Interesting) by bob_super on Monday July 20 2015, @06:14PM
"full delete" cannot exist under the law, as you need to keep records of the people for usually 3 years after you charge their credit card.
A full audit of these companies would be fun for the IRS auditors, for sure.
On a related note, an old saying proven once again true "it's better if he gets a prostitute rather than a mistress".
When is the US going to realize that regulated prostitution would solve a lot of "crime"?
(Score: 0, Disagree) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 20 2015, @06:45PM
> "full delete" cannot exist under the law, as you need to keep records of the people for usually 3 years after you charge their credit card.
Not true. There is no such law.
(Score: 2) by Joe Desertrat on Monday July 20 2015, @07:31PM
"full delete" cannot exist under the law, as you need to keep records of the people for usually 3 years after you charge their credit card.
Not true. There is no such law.
Maybe not, but the information has to be kept as charges can be disputed (I suspect many of these are after being discovered by significant others), a minimum of 6 months in the US at least, and possibly longer in Europe.
(Score: 2) by arulatas on Monday July 20 2015, @08:40PM
Maybe keep them in an offline backup? Just saying.
----- 10 turns around
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 20 2015, @09:59PM
> Maybe not, but the information has to be kept as charges can be disputed
Kept by the payment processor, not the site. Which means, if the site did it right, there would be no way to go from the site's user list to the identity on the payment itself.
(1) Not a law
(2) Not even a requirement for refunds
(Score: 2) by Joe Desertrat on Tuesday July 21 2015, @06:10PM
> Maybe not, but the information has to be kept as charges can be disputed
Kept by the payment processor, not the site. Which means, if the site did it right, there would be no way to go from the site's user list to the identity on the payment itself.
Customers initiate disputes with their card issuer. The card issuing bank sends either a request for documentation or a chargeback notice to the payment processor, which forwards them to the seller or service provider. If the seller cannot provide legitimate backup for the charges to the processor, the chargeback is accepted and the seller loses the payment for the sale.
(Score: 1) by Francis on Tuesday July 21 2015, @03:47AM
We could also solve a lot of crime by legalizing rape, murder and robbery. I don't think I need to explain why that logic doesn't work.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Tuesday July 21 2015, @11:47PM
False equivalence, but thanks for playing.
The whole point of legalizing prostitution is to try to make sure that the providers are legal, healthy, do consent, pay their taxes, and that the services take place in an environment safe for all (involved or neighbors).
It's been proven to be possible, in many countries (and to a limited screwed-up extent in Nevada)