eBay’s Been Hacked; Users Must Reset Passwords
The company says that hackers gained access to employee log-ins, which in turn gave them access to customer names, passwords, email addresses, mailing addresses, phone numbers, and even birth dates. While the passwords are encrypted, it’s likely only a matter of time before they can be decrypted.
Here’s the official notice:
eBay Inc. To Ask eBay Users To Change Passwords
Earlier today eBay Inc. announced it is aware of unauthorized access to eBay systems that may have exposed some customer information. There is no evidence that financial data was compromised and there is no evidence that PayPal or our customers have been affected by the unauthorized access to eBay systems. We are working with law enforcement and leading security experts to aggressively investigate the matter.
As a precaution, we will be asking all eBay users (both buyers and sellers) to change their passwords later today. As a global marketplace, nothing is more important to eBay than the security and trust of our customers. We regret any inconvenience or concern that this situation may cause you. We know our customers and partners have high expectations of us, and we are committed to ensuring a safe and secure online experience for you on any connected device.
Apparently, no unauthorized transactions have yet been made. But, to ensure that none are, all eBay users must get a new password.
CNN writes of it all in greater, and slightly more sobering detail here.