Neowin.net mentioned on the BBC News website


Recommended Posts

Hotmail accounts 'posted online'

Thousands of hotmail passwords have been hacked and posted online, according to reports.

Microsoft, which owns the popular web-based email system, told BBC News that it was aware of the claims and that it was "investigating the situation".

A report on technology blog neowin.net said that the details of "over 10,000" accounts had been posted to a website.

The blog suggested the accounts had been hacked or had been collected as part of a phishing scheme.

Phishing involves using fake websites to lure people into revealing personal details such as bank accounts or login names and passwords.

'Rapid response'

Neowin claims the details were posted on 01 October to pastebin.com, a website commonly used by developers to share code.

Although the details have since been removed, the website said it had seen part of the list.

"[We] can confirm the accounts are genuine and most appear to be based in Europe," Tom Warren, a neowin blogger, wrote on the site.

He said that the list included details of Microsoft's Windows Live Hotmail accounts with email addresses ending hotmail.com, msn.com and live.com.

Microsoft said it had "been made aware of the claims that Windows Live IDs and passwords have been made available on the web".

"We're actively investigating the situation and will take appropriate steps as rapidly as possible," a spokesperson said.

Neowin said that it recommended Windows Live Hotmail users to change their "password and security question immediately".

souricon.gif News source: BBC News

The BBC fixed the typo in the meantime. Pity they didn't linkify the URL while they were at it.

Edited by Mephistopheles
So I take it the accounts have not been hacked directly from MS' servers? These are all resultant from successfully 'phished' accounts from a dodgy clone website of the official Microsoft site?

It looks like it from the article... It must have been a pretty big operation to get 10,000 though

Too bad. If the BBC starts linking you you loose all credibility as they did years ago as 'objective' reporters.

If you shrink BBC's leftwing propaganda to 1/1000 and paint it pretty pale blue holding a sign i am objective you still can see it's not.

What's there to wonder? Neowin writers blog about what other sites write about.

You find way too many of "According to...", or "X has reported" on the main page of Neowin.

We're a news site, not a blog. Just because we use sources other than ourselves for news posts (usually), that makes us no less of a news site.

What's there to wonder? Neowin writers blog about what other sites write about.

You find way too many of "According to...", or "X has reported" on the main page of Neowin.

I don't believe that was the case in this instance, I believe it was a neowin member that alerted Tom (although I have no evidence to back that up apart from the "heads-up" for "Chris" in the article).

I think it's the latest form of spam, social compliance etc. If you get told that someone you talked to on MSN etc had blocked you - then what's the first thing you're going to do especially if you speak to 'em a lot, if you;'re a bit miffed? Sign up. And... oh, look, here's my username and password :/

I expect more attacks like this, if I'm honest. Hotmail is the first casualty. Although I bet it's Windows Live accounts, rather than just Hotmail (ie MSN and everything else).

I may be way off the mark, I've nothing to back this up on - just seems like the logical thing for an organised spammer / phishing organisation to do. Plus, that's what conmen do - you ever seen the Real Hustle??

Great news though, about time Neowin gets the recognition it deserves. Neobond, ya best get ready for the interview...

Ad

Sky is linking to here too... http://bit.ly/7xOOT.

Just a thought. Neowin is a technology NEWS site, not a blogging site... guess the Beeb and sky don't like the idea of there being other news sites?

As more people find out (bear in mind the west coast of the USA is getting to work now)... neowin is gonna be mega mega busy later...

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • Google begins rolling out its post-Epic Play Store billing model next week by Karthik Mudaliar Google has confirmed that its redesigned Play Store billing and fee structure will take effect on June 30, 2026, in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Economic Area. The changes will let eligible developers offer their own payment systems or send users to an external website for purchases, while separating Google’s platform service fee from the cost of using Google Play Billing. The rollout puts concrete dates and detailed rate cards behind the broader Android policy overhaul Google announced in March. That announcement followed a proposed settlement with Epic Games intended to resolve their long-running disputes over app distribution and payments, although the U.S. portion of the agreement still requires court approval. Under the new billing choice program, developers selling digital content or services can display an alternative payment option alongside Google Play Billing. They may also direct users to their own websites to complete a purchase. Developers can use Google’s standard payment-choice screen or design one that complies with the company’s user-interface rules. Choosing another payment processor does not eliminate Google’s cut altogether. The company will continue charging a service fee for transactions associated with apps distributed through Google Play, regardless of whether payment is handled by Google, an alternative provider, or a developer’s website. Google argues that this fee covers the value and infrastructure provided by Android and the Play Store. For developers earning up to $1 million annually, the service fee will generally be 10 percent. That rate also applies to auto-renewing subscriptions. When Google Play Billing is used in the U.S., U.K., or EEA, Google will add a separate 5 percent billing fee, and developers processing payments elsewhere will not pay that additional charge. This means Google’s familiar flat 30 percent commission is disappearing, but developers will not necessarily see a dramatic reduction on every transaction. An in-app purchase from an existing user processed through Google Play Billing can still reach a combined 30 percent. The biggest savings are likely to come from subscriptions, smaller developers covered by the $1 million tier, and companies able to move customers to their own payment infrastructure. Google is also offering lower rates through its Apps Experience and revamped Games Level Up programs. Apps and games that satisfy the company’s requirements can qualify for 15 percent service fees on new-install transactions and 20 percent on existing-install transactions. The criteria include performance and reliability standards, support for additional Android device categories, and selected platform features. Those program rates are scheduled to become available in the initial markets and Australia on September 30. For consumers, the immediate effect will depend on whether developers adopt alternative payments and pass any savings on through lower prices. For developers, however, June 30 begins a more flexible but considerably more complicated Play Store economy in which distribution, billing, install dates, revenue thresholds, and program participation can each affect Google’s final cut. Google is also separately developing a Registered App Stores program designed to simplify the installation of qualifying third-party stores. That initiative is expected to arrive with a major Android release later in 2026 and will launch outside the U.S. first. Google says the rest of the world will receive the changes by September 30, 2027, although billing rates for markets outside the US, UK, and EEA have not yet been announced.
    • 38% off a super insane price is still an INSANE price.
    • 1TB Samsung T9 and Samsung 9100 PRO SSDs are now selling at great prices by Fiza Ali Amazon is now offering the 1TB variant of Samsung T9 and Samsung 9100 PRO SSD at great prices with limited-time 38% and 39% discounts, respectively, so you may want to check them out if you have been looking to upgrade your storage solution. The Samsung T9 connects via a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20Gbps) interface and delivers sequential read speeds of up to 2,000MB/s and sequential write speeds of up to 1,950MB/s, making it suitable for transferring large files, backing up data, and handling high-resolution media content. When it comes to the security features, the SSD includes AES 256-bit hardware encryption to help protect sensitive data. Designed for portability, the drive is reportedly resistant to drops from heights of up to 3 metres. Furthermore, it operates within a temperature range of 0°C to 60°C and can be stored at temperatures between -40°C and 85°C. Samsung Magician Software is included for drive management, firmware updates, performance optimisation, and health monitoring. Finally, the T9 is certified to multiple international standards, including CE, FCC, UL, UKCA, and RoHS 2 compliance, and is backed by a five-year limited warranty as well. 1TB Samsung T9 SSD: $179.99 (Amazon US) - 38% off The Samsung 9100 PRO uses the M.2 2280 form factor and connects through a PCIe 5.0 x4 interface with NVMe 2.0 support. Built with Samsung V-NAND TLC flash memory, an in-house controller, and 1GB of low-power DDR4X cache memory, the 9100 PRO is engineered for high-performance computing and gaming workloads. Furthermore, the SSD delivers sequential read speeds of up to 14,700MB/s and sequential write speeds of up to 13,300MB/s. Random performance is rated at up to 1,850,000 IOPS for reads and up to 2,600,000 IOPS for writes, depending on system hardware and configuration. The drive supports TRIM, S.M.A.R.T monitoring, automatic garbage collection, and device sleep mode to help maintain performance and efficiency over time. In terms of security features, it includes AES 256-bit encryption, TCG Opal support, and IEEE 1667 compliance. The 9100 PRO operates within a temperature range of 0°C to 70°C, is rated for 1.5 million hours MTBF, and can reportedly withstand shocks of up to 1,500G for 0.5 milliseconds. Finally, Samsung Magician Software is also included for firmware updates, performance monitoring, drive management, and optimisation. 1TB Samsung 9100 PRO SSD: $206.99 (Amazon US) - 39% off Alternatively, you can also check out other SSD deals here. Good to know This Amazon deal is U.S. specific, and not available in other regions unless specified. We only use first-party seller links (at the time of article publishing); ensure that you purchase from a first-party seller link only. Check out Today's Deals on Amazon | or our recent tech deals. Become a Prime member (for Students or SNAP) via Neowin Get Prime Access - Prime for half price (for qualifying Medicaid, EBT, SNAP) Subscribe to Prime Video, Audible Plus, Music Unlimited or Kindle Unlimited via Neowin As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
    • This is about the already discredited 2025 announcement. Not the current one, which I've heard nothing negative about in the academic literature.
  • Recent Achievements

    • Dedicated
      Scoobystu earned a badge
      Dedicated
    • First Post
      Tom Schmidt earned a badge
      First Post
    • One Month Later
      D0nn13 earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Rookie
      +ChiefOfNeo went up a rank
      Rookie
    • One Year In
      Tom Schmidt earned a badge
      One Year In
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      464
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      177
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      124
    4. 4
      Michael Scrip
      81
    5. 5
      Xenon
      76
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!