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Hackers Breach Monster.com

4.5M compromised in UK; jobs site unsure how many of 75M worldwide may be affected

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Jan 27, 2009 1:46 PM CST

(Newser) – Hackers have illegally accessed Monster.com and stolen personal details from an uncertain number of its 75 million users, Bloomberg reports. The hackers snatched user IDs, passwords, contact information and more, though resumes weren’t accessed. Users should be on the lookout for bogus e-mails that appear to come from employers, and may be forced to change their passwords, the site said.

All 4.5 million of Monster’s UK users were hit, the Times of London adds—though that story comes with a banner reading, “This article is the subject of a legal complaint.” Monster says it doesn’t yet know if the UK was affected. A 2007 virus also targeted Monster, the Washington Post notes, stealing data on 1.6 million users before it was shut down.

[Images (5)]

[Quotes (2)]

This screenshot from Monster.com shows the site's mascot.

The Monster logo is seen in this screenshot from Monster.com

Millions could have had their data stolen from Monster. (Shutterstock)

Job seeker, or hacker? (Shutterstock)

Monster.com founder and former chief executive Andrew J. McKelvey poses for a photograph. (AP Photo/Monster.com)

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It’s a horrendous breach. The information they have can be used to cause all kinds of mischief. - Graham Cluley, IT security firm Sophos

The criminal community is hoovering up large amounts of personal info and correlating it, functioning as a sort of underground information bureau. - Jay Heiser, research vp and security expert at Gartner Inc.

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Hackers Breach Monster.com