Skip to main content

Unsecured database of 50m found on Azure

In the latest blow to consumer privacy, researchers have discovered that the addresses and personal details of over 80m US households have been left unsecured in a cloud database.

The group of independent security researchers, led by Noam Rotem, have found that the unidentified database contains names, ages and genders as well as income levels and marital status. Some of the information such as gender, marital status and income level is coded while the names, ages and addresses are not.

Fortunately, the data stored in the database does not include any payment information or Social Security numbers.

Rotem and his team have verified that the data is accurate but the team of researchers did not download the data in order to minimize the invasion of privacy of those whose information is listed.

Exposed database

Rotem partnered with the Israeli VPN review site VPNMentor to conduct his research and in a recently published blog post, the company called on the public to help identify the owner of the database hosted on Microsoft Azure.

Securing the data inside the database is not Microsoft's responsibility but rather that of its owners. However, if the owner can be identified, the company could contact its customer to let it know of the problem.

The server hosting the data first came online February according to Rotem who discovered it in April using tools he had developed to search for and catalog unsecured databases.

The database contains information about adults aged 40 and over who could be even more susceptible to scammers trying to obtain their information to try to defraud them.

Rotem's discovery of the unsecured database could lead to its owner being identified but even more so, his research sheds light on the fact that open databases full of valuable user information exist online and could make online fraud even easier for cybercriminals.

Via CNET

  • Protect your online privacy with the best VPN


from TechRadar - All the latest technology news http://bit.ly/2ZMkNLG
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Mother's Day 2020 gift ideas: 18 gadgets and gizmos for tech-savvy Aussie mums

Raising a family is not an easy job, and the women who care for us each and every day deserve to be told how special they are each and every day. While we tend to forget to do that, Mother’s Day reminds us we need to celebrate the women in our lives, whether they’re our own mothers or our wives and partners helping us raise the young ones. Mother’s Day 2020 is fast approaching (with under two weeks to go), and there’s a pretty good chance you won’t be able to take her out to her favourite restaurant this year, or even get to a store to shop for something she might like. So we have to get creative, and TechRadar’s Australian team has put together this little list of great tech gift ideas that you can buy online and have delivered in time for May 10. But you will need to get a wriggle on as delivery supply chains are under strain with more people shopping online. Whether she’s a whiz in the kitchen, loves to cosy up with a book or entertain at home, we’ve got a gadget or gizmo that’s s
Post a Comment
Read more

Amazon Australia has specials on Bose products all this week

December may have just begun, but the world's largest online marketplace is already feeling the Christmas spirit.  To kick off the month’s festivities, Amazon Australia is celebrating  ‘7 Days of Deals’ with Bose's superb audio hardware discounted each day. To begin with, the very popular (and rightly so) Bose QuietComfort 35 II and the more expensive Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 are available for less. To sweeten the deal, Amazon will throw in an Echo speaker as a bonus as well. When you purchase the superb Bose Headphones 700, you will receive a free Amazon Echo Show 5, or if you’d prefer the Bose QuietComfort 35 II, you’ll receive a complimentary Echo Dot. The offer is valid until December 8, or while stocks last. You can buy the same bundles, for the same price if you make the purchase via the Echo Dot or the Echo Show 5 product pages on Amazon. Just make sure you select the bundled headphone in the 'add other items' section on the right. Best noi
Post a Comment
Read more

Valentine's Day flowers: the best online flower delivery services

February 14 will be here before you know it, and if you, like many others, are searching for that perfect gift, then placing an online order for Valentine's Day flowers is always an easy and romantic option. You can order a beautiful floral arrangement in minutes from a variety of online retailers, including; 1-800-Flowers, Amazon, ProFlowers, Teleflora, and many more. To help you sort through all the Valentine's Day offers, we've rounded up the best online flower delivery services in both the USA and the UK and listed their current promotions. We've also included delivery charges and made sure to mention if you can allocate specific days for delivery. There's a fantastic range of bouquets and gifts available from our selection of florists below, and online delivery from a specialist means you don't have to worry about the usual hassle of buying from a store and getting them home safely. We'll be updating this page as we get closer to the big day so you
Post a Comment
Read more