Hackers crack into user data on Kickstarter

Authorities informed the crowdfunding website on 2/12 that intruders had obtained unauthorized access to customer information, and “we immediately closed the security breach,” company officials said in a 2/15 email and online message.

No credit card data was accessed by hackers, officials said. And there is no evidence of unauthorized activity on all but two accounts, they added.

ZDnet reports, “I have to say that I'm proud of the chief executive for coming forward so quickly about the breach. Other companies should follow the same transparent ideal and admit when something like this happens so that customers and members can take immediate action.”

Compromised information included and unspecified number of usernames, email addresses, mailing addresses, phone numbers, and encrypted passwords. “Actual passwords were not revealed, however it is possible for a malicious person with enough computing power to guess and crack an encrypted password, particularly a weak or obvious one,” the email states.

ThreatWatch is a regularly updated catalog of data breaches successfully striking every sector of the globe, as reported by journalists, researchers and the victims themselves.