Ashley Madison: hackers threaten to expose 37 million cheating users
A website aimed at people who want to discreetly cheat on their spouses has had its client database hacked.
Details from the site’s 37 million users, including naked pictures and sexual fantasies, have been stolen by a hacking team called The Impact Group.
The still-unfolding leak could be quite damaging to some 1 million British users of the hookup service, whose slogan is “Life is short. Have an affair.”
The Impact Team have already posted a small sample of sensitive data stolen from Ashley Madison, along with other controversial dating sites Cougar Life and Established Men.
A statement was also released from the hackers, demanding the closure of the websites.
The message said: ‘We are the Impact Team. We have taken over all systems in your entire office and production domains, all customer information databases, source code repositories, financial records, emails.'
It adds: ‘Shutting down AM [Ashley Madison] and EM Established Men] will cost you, but non-compliance will cost you more: We will release all customer records, profiles with all the customers’ secret sexual fantasies, nude pictures, and conversations and matching credit card transactions, real names and addresses, and employee documents and emails.’
Ashley Madison's Canadian parent, Avid Life Media, have released a statement saying that they are working to fix the problem and find those responsible for the attack.
"At this time, we have been able to secure our sites, and close the unauthorized access points. We are working with law enforcement agencies, which are investigating this criminal act”, the message said.
“Any and all parties responsible for this act of cyber–terrorism will be held responsible."
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