Hackers hacked at one of Ashampoo's servers

Original author: Rolf Hilchner CEO Ashampoo
  • Transfer
image

I received an email today that reads:

Dear Ashampoo customer,

We are writing to you regarding an important issue. We regret to tell you that we also detected an unauthorized access to one of our server systems. We assume that the attackers were able to purloin data of customers. Sensitive data such as billing information etc. is not affected by this, because Ashampoo does not store this data.

We summarized all pieces of information regarding this incident for you and would like you to read the following website: www.ashampoo.com/datatheft

Yours sincerely,

The Ashampoo-Team,


which can be roughly translated as:

Dear customer,

We are contacting you about an important issue. We regret to inform you that someone got unauthorized access to one of our server systems. We believe that attackers could steal customer data. Confidential data, such as payment details, etc. out of danger, because we do not store them

We collected all the information on this incident and posted it at: www.ashampoo.com/datatheft

Regards,

Ashampoo-Team


Details for the translation (translation)


Dear customers,

We are serious about our company to data protection. Therefore, we are constantly striving to ensure the highest possible security for our technical systems.
Like many other companies, we are targeted by hackers who try to infiltrate information systems in order to steal data. Unfortunately, this time one of our server systems was the victim of such an attack. Unauthorized access to one of our servers was obtained. However, Ashampoo subsidiaries were not affected.

What happened?

Hackers gained access to one of our servers. We discovered a gap and immediately closed it, interrupting the attack, and immediately reported it to the police. Further investigation is ongoing. Unfortunately, hackers have well hidden their tracks, they break off abroad. That is why German law enforcement agencies had to increase the cost of catching criminals.

What data was stolen?

The stolen piece of information is names and email addresses. Billing information (for example, credit card or bank account information) is certainly out of danger because it is not stored in our system.

What can hackers do with stolen data?

Among other things, hackers will try to exploit vulnerabilities in the mail systems of other companies to send order confirmations made in their name. Company PurelyGadgets , for example, on his page on FB announced that their servers are used to send bogus orders confirmation. Also, an email sent by hackers may contain a PDF file with malicious code. By opening such a file on your computer, you endanger the system.

How to protect yourself?

Hackers usually follow the following pattern - they send letters asking for confirmation of a fictitious order, or attach various files to messages that the user most often opens and runs. Always be careful with letters whose sender is unknown to you and do not open attachments.

If, for example, you received a request for order confirmation from PurelyGadgets or another company without making appropriate purchases there, please do not open attachments and immediately delete such letters.

Make sure you also have an anti-virus program with updated signature databases.

Using this link, you can check the files for the contents of malicious code: www.virustotal.com

In addition, do not use the same passwords on different services (eBay, Amazon, etc.) and make your password as complex as possible, for example, using special characters, numbers, as well as uppercase and lowercase letters. Change your passwords regularly.

We are sorry ...

This whole situation puts us in an uncomfortable position as a respectable software manufacturer. Therefore, we would like to apologize again for the inconvenience in this regard.

If you have additional questions about this, our support (security@ashampoo.com) will be happy to help you. All letters on this issue will receive the highest priority.

Thank you for your understanding.

Sincerely yours,

Rolf Hilchner
CEO Ashampoo

_________________________

And the old woman is a slammer.

[update (04/21/2011)] : According to the latest data, and unlike what PureleyGadets said on its Facebook page, the PurelyGadgets servers themselves were not hacked, but the company name was used to send confirmations of fictitious orders.

UPD 2

+

provides examples of files attached to letters

Example 1
Example 2

Links to Virustotal.

Also popular now: