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Reports Of Hacked Xbox Live Accounts Stir Concerns Over Gamers' Security
>> From mtv.com:
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Earlier this month, a hacker bragged that he'd gained access to the Xbox Live identity -- or gamertag, as it's known -- of "Halo 3" multiplayer producer Joe Tung. This allowed him access to Tung's account and personal information. Tung isn't alone.
For almost three years now, dozens of gamers who believed their Xbox 360 online identities were safe and secure have taken to message boards and Web sites to report gamertags stolen by zealous hackers. The practice has become prevalent enough that tutorials about how to do it have popped up across the Internet, heightened after the release of Bungie Studio's sci-fi online shooter "Halo 3."
"People don't hack accounts by using programs and any other bullsh-- that you hear around [Xbox Live]," the hacker claimed. "It's as simple as picking up the phone."
The hacks are typically accomplished through a popularized technique called social engineering, when someone is unknowingly coerced into revealing confidential information. This isn't the first time it's come up with "Halo 3." It was widely documented by technology sites in March 2007, then again last December and, based on the evidence surrounding Tung's account and others, remains a prominent form of abuse.
The danger stems from the apparent failure of Microsoft customer service to keep track of repeated account access, our expert said. This allows hackers employing social-engineering tactics to call support lines without being tracked. A hacker can then use this information to gain access to a user's Xbox Live gamertag, which typically has a credit card attached.
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Full Story: mtv.com
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