White hat hacker ‘Atechdad’ carried out an experiment, selflessly emailing 97,931 strangers to inform them that their credentials had been accessed by unauthorized users.
Websites run on scripts which routinely come across sensitive information which has been published publically on websites such as Pastebin.
Information held here is compromised giving black hat hackers access to passwords for various online accounts, including Online Banking, Netflix, social networking and email services, making it possible for them to commit theft, fraud and blackmail.
Users can opt-in to be notified if their account is compromised but many have no idea this service exists.
‘Atechdad’ real name Julian, decided to involuntarily give people the notification service as part of an experiment.
However, the Friendly Neighbourhood Hackerman was not met with thanks from an adoring public.
Fifty people responded to his warning by unsubscribing so not to receive any further information from him. 9 people responded with a thank you email whilst the remaining 97,931 ignored him completely.
Atechdad has rightly named his experiment ‘Robin’ and plans to test unsuspecting recipients very soon, giving back to the potential poor who could be out of pocket if publically available passwords are used to access their accounts.
Virtual do-gooder Atechdad documents what sites have been hacked and has very much created his own gallery, showcasing 166 pages worth of hacked websites.
Website available at: www.urhack.com
