Submitted by zerocrossing 358d ago | news

'High-profile' Microsoft employee Xbox Live accounts hacked

"Microsoft has confirmed that a number of Xbox Live accounts held by senior employees have been targeted by hackers." (Culture, Microsoft, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE)

Gimmemorebubblez   359d ago | Trolling | show | Replies(1)
shikamaroooo  +   358d ago
Just shows even Microsoft are vulnerable.
Bereaver  +   358d ago
I'm not trying to start anything, but if you look at my comments from like a year ago, then you'll notice how I said.....

"I can buy as many xbox live accounts as I want from "taobao.com" a chinese website like amazon here in China."

But someone at Microsoft cracked down on them and most of them have been removed. But you can bet that the less popular sales sites still have plenty of sellers.

PS: Before they were removed from taobao, I could literally find over 500 sellers.

edit - Yes, I did purchase one, but I had no clue it was a stolen account, I just wanted xbox live points to play Age of Empires Online. My Chinese friend did everything for me and then I asked why I had messages from people I didn't know on my xbox and he told me it's from the real owner of the account. Unbelievable but true.
#2.1 (Edited 358d ago ) | Agree(2) | Disagree(6) | Report | Reply
Intentions  +   358d ago
That is really scary tbh.
N0S3LFESTEEM   358d ago | Trolling | show
Neko_Mega  +   358d ago
Major Nelson did have his account hacked one, it was sold on Ebay (only dumb hackers would be that foolish).

No console is really safe when it comes to hackers.
TheModernKamikaze  +   358d ago
Even though the PS3 has been jailbroken, I'm really thankful they still haven't gotten through the multiplayer or online stuff.
nukeitall  +   358d ago
Of course they have gotten to the PS3 as well, but it is on a per game basis like all the other systems out there.

Ever tried playing CoD on PS3? Yup, plenty of cheaters there.
stage88   358d ago | Trolling | show
sandman224  +   358d ago
Wow Microsoft breach. This is bad. If you pay 60 dollars a month for the best service why is it getting hacked?
gnothe1  +   358d ago
where did you get 60 A MONTH from?...then you got people agreeing with you...
PimpDaddy  +   358d ago
This is a Pro Sony website. They agree with anything Pro Sony and Anti Microsoft. Look at all the misinformed comments above. In the interest of defending the PSN outage they are trying to stretch a few XBox Live accounts that got hacked due to password phishing into some huge XBL got hacked scandal. Pure comedy. Thanks N4G.
#7.1.1 (Edited 358d ago ) | Agree(9) | Disagree(16) | Report
nukeitall  +   358d ago
Misinformed spinners!

Not only that, but they actually got the account stolen because the employes social security number was taken. Even banks use social security number to verify, so it's stupid to blame MS.

Sounds to me like they did their checks, and a few here is trying to spin it into MS fault. MS ain't the saint, but this ain't their fault.
Perjoss  +   358d ago
@ PimpDaddy

for further proof of this just go to the n4g forums and see how busy the ps3 forum is compared to the 360 forum.
Belking  +   358d ago
Oh stop with the BS. These are not the accounts you guys are thinking it is. It's employee accounts which has nothing to do with member accounts. Members don't give their SSN to xbox live. It's a DOS attack which is linked to somewhere else and not a direct hack into xbox live. The big difference between this one and sony's is that the attack was one on PSN directly which affected millions and cost sony millions because the service was taken down.. They even had to give a public apology. This attack is from outside of xbox live and from people who have linked accounts to third parties. Not the same and definitely not a xbox live hack. The service is still running.
1nsaint  +   352d ago
Its like 40 bucks for a YEAR...

Also you talk like its the people's xbox or the live service that got hacked.
It's not, it's their account, you know.. their email adress..
#7.3 (Edited 352d ago ) | Agree(0) | Disagree(1) | Report | Reply
Karpetburnz  +   358d ago
Iv'e been saying this whole time that XBL accounts can be hacked, You see now Xbox fanboys, XBL isnt unbreachable just because you pay for it, the money that you pay would be paying for Bill Gates new yacht.
andibandit  +   358d ago
I dont see how you could code anything that protects against social engineering, the code cant protect against human error.
PimpDaddy  +   358d ago
So an XBL account being hacked because the password got phished is even remotely comparable to PSN service being hacked and taken down for almost a month? Any account can be hacked. E-Mail, FaceBook, Twitter, XBL, PSN, N4G, etc due to user error.

This is not the same as when PSN got hacked as a whole service and had to be taken down. Please stop the comparisons...
Karpetburnz  +   358d ago

I was not comparing this hack to the PSN hack, Where did I state in my comment that this was of that scale? I was only refering to the Xbox fanboys who have it in their heads that XBL is unbreachable, They need to get off their high horses because If they think XBL is invincible to hackers then theyre truly deluded, The Pentagon and NASA have been hacked before.
neoMAXMLC  +   358d ago
Xbox Defense Force to the rescue.
TrollExterminator   358d ago | Spam
Lvl_up_gamer  +   358d ago
"The method apparently involves acquiring and then utilizing the employees' social security numbers along with some social engineering to obtain (and apparently then sell) access to those accounts."

Read the article.

The accounts were not "hacked". They were accessed using social "security numbers along with social engineering to obtain access to those accounts". It's called phishing scams. Your info is gathered and then used to log into your account. It's not hacking if someone steals your wallet and then goes to the bank and takes out money. The bank wasn't hacked.

You people have to learn what a "hack" is and what "illegal access" is. Two different things that require 2 completely different methods.

PSN was HACKED!!! It was logged into by someone behind a computer going through online protocols and access the mainframe. XBL accounts are illegally accessed because people obtain other people's information and using it to access their XBL accounts.

Please stop with this BS mis-informed spread of lies and FUD to make MS and XBL look like it is just as faulty as Sony and their PSN.

MS cannot be held responsible for individuals who have their information stolen or obtained outside of MS or XBL. No more then a bank is responsible if your wallet is stolen and your bank account is accessed.
#8.3 (Edited 358d ago ) | Agree(2) | Disagree(2) | Report | Reply
badz149  +   358d ago
seriously dude, you're looking desperate with every comment you make. hacked is hacked don't you even try to spin it otherwise!

and please don't come around here and spread misinformation! the PSN was down because Sony took it down NOT the hackers! they detected intrusion from outside and brought the network down so that the attack won't escalate!

not long after that, Valve was hacked too and then some other devs and last year even the ever so popular WoW where gamers pay monthly fee to play! were you there to condemn these other companies about their "hackable" security? I don't think so!

sure, Sony was fined ￡250k for the hack as it was deemed "preventable" but it's funny how the media works as when these things happen:

1. Apple app store has never had https encryption until somebody pointed it out and they just implemented https earlier this year - like 6 years after the iPhone was introduced! https which prevent interception between the store and end user is like what...almost 30 years old and why is Apple not sued for this?


2. remember the Java screwup earlier this year? are we hearing any fine or lawsuit coming? so far, NONE that I'm aware of!


3. EA's Origin vulnerability. leaves millions vulnerable to attack without them knowing. any fine, lawsuit yet? I don't think so!


so...why is Sony being singled out on this while many other are also hacked? and there's no such thing as media hate on Sony they said...give me a break!
PimpDaddy  +   358d ago
I'm desperate? LOL. Says the guy who just replied with a wall of text and links? Hacked is Hacked huh???

So you're telling me 12 individual people who had their XBL accounts hacked is the same thing as millions of people's personal information being put at risk because an entire service had their security breached.

I'm not following your argument very well. When PSN got hacked I was one of the millions that got affected. I cancelled my credit card and couldn't use PSN for almost a month.

These 12 unfortunate Microsoft employees getting their personal information stolen did not affect me or the XBL service on any way. But I guess according to you this is all a conspiracy???
nigelp520  +   358d ago
PimpDaddy  +   358d ago
This website cracks me up
So a few employess of Microsoft get thier accounts hacked because they didn't take care of thier information and all of a sudden XBL is vulnerable?

Call me when XBL is down for almost a month because the whole service was hacked and had be be taken down.

Talk about reaching for straws. You can't even compare the two. Password phishing is very common. That is exactly what happened here. No more. No less.
#10 (Edited 358d ago ) | Agree(7) | Disagree(12) | Report | Reply
HarryMasonHerpderp  +   358d ago
You sound like a fanboy yourself "PimpDaddy".
Even the "mighty Xbox live" can be hacked.
Sony dropped the ball with their security. They really weren't prepared for it and they paid dearly. It could happen again though and it could happen to Xbox live stop trying to score points.
The only people that lose out are the users.
I hope we don't have this argument again next gen but I get the feeling we will.
PimpDaddy  +   358d ago
I NEVER said XBL couldn't be hacked. I was just clarifying that it was not hacked in this instance. There is a HUGE difference between an individual person getting thier account hacked and a whole service getting hacked.

Before you throw around the fanboy label maybe you should check out what website you're on and ask yourself why you felt the need to reply to what I said as well as label me.

Oh and I have to LMFAO at "trying to score points". If I was trying to score points or get my bubble count up I would have said something more along the lines of: PSN>XBL. You get what you pay for. I thought XBL couldn't be hacked XBots? Or any other pro Sony fanboy crap I usually read on here.

As a matter of fact I don't even know why I bother to comment. It's not like anybody who isn't a Sony fanboy can actually have an intelligent discussion on this website...
HarryMasonHerpderp  +   358d ago
The reason I felt the need to reply was because you're basically saying everyone on N4G is a sony fanboy which just isn't true.

"This is a Pro Sony website"
"ask yourself why you felt the need to reply to what I said as well as label me"

That works both ways as I said before you basically labelled N4G users as fanboys.
I am an N4G user and I'm not a fanboy.


There you go again labeling the entire community as fanboys. You might not of said it outright but it's obvious what you think.
#10.1.2 (Edited 358d ago ) | Agree(3) | Disagree(2) | Report
Nineball2112  +   358d ago
@ PimpDaddy...


Wait... I don't think this says what you meant it to say. I'm pretty sure this says that non-Sony fanboys (ie. Xbox fanboys, Wii fanboys, PC fanboys, etc.) can't have an intelligent discussion on this website.

not + is not = double negative

Regardless... you're really skirting the line on trolling. I realize you're trying to make a point, but take it easy with the broad generalizations.

And you're right... this isn't the same thing as the PSN hack.
InTheLab  +   358d ago
I'm pretty sure you're the only one bringing PSN into this to take the sting off this story.....and you really didn't have to. We know this isn't 77m accounts being breached, but it is still bad. It still shows that if this can happen to high profile accounts, it can happen to anyone.

What makes you look foolish is how you're trying to convince everyone that this is no big deal because it's not the PSN hack...and how many bubbles you've spent arguing a point that no one disagrees with.
TrollExterminator   358d ago | Spam
CEOSteveBallmer  +   358d ago
I agree, We can say super tight security but saying 100% unhackable, its just impossible. even the pentagon gets hacked so how is it a gaming account is more secure than a military or government websites and accounts?
InTheLab  +   358d ago
Hackers found a way in through some other service but MS is still responsible. Not sure why they wouldn't be, and lol at the guy bringing up the Sony breach as if that makes this story any better.
TrollExterminator   358d ago | Spam
Max-Zorin  +   358d ago
Nothing is safe from hackers. Internet security is a joke.

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