14 DAY TRIAL // A website of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has been hacked. As a result of the breach, the details of around 50,000 users have been leaked online.
The published information consists of usernames, email addresses, password hashes, and other user details.
The hacker, Phr0zenMyst, says he targeted ABC “for giving Geert Wilders a platform to voice anti-Islam anti-Muslim hatred.”
Next to the leaked data, he has posted a link which points to an ABC Lateline interview with Geert Wilders.
Last week, Anonymous hackers announced that they would protest against the controversial Dutch politician’s visit to Australia. At the time, they threatened to attack the sites of the Q Society of Australia and the one of Halal Choices.
However, it appears that some hackers have done much more.
ABC has confirmed the breach, saying that it will notify the individuals directly impacted by the incident.
“Overnight the ABC was made aware that an ABC television program website was hacked. The website relates to the ABC television program Making Australia Happy, which aired in late 2010,” ABC stated.
“At this stage, we are still investigating the details of the breach. However, we do know that it has exposed the name, username and a hashed version of the password that audience members used to register on the program website. As soon as the ABC was made aware of this activity the site was shut down,” the company added.
“This breach originated at an overseas location and an activist has claimed responsibility for it. The ABC will be in contact with audience members who have been directly affected.”
Despite the fact that the leaked passwords are encrypted, it doesn’t take very long to crack them.
Security expert Troy Hunt reveals that he has managed to crack 53% of the password database in just 45 seconds, which means that all affected users should change them as soon as possible, before malicious actors get the chance to abuse the information.