The attachments, which contained a virus similar to the Love Bug
virus which attacked computer systems last month, allowed hackers
to access customer information by means of a connection they
created with the sender’s computer.
Although AOL is maintaining that only a limited number of client
accounts were made available to the hackers, it has refused to
comment on the exact figures involved. However, it has stated that
the attack was limited to customer accounts held by AOL and that it
has posed no risk of disclosure of information held on other ISPs.
Moreover, AOL has emphasised that the hackers did not manage to
access their client database which contains information on its 23
million members.
AOL is presently carrying out further investigations into the
matter and its spokesman, Mr Rich D’Amato, stated that AOL “will
turn over what we learn to law enforcement agencies” and that the
company “will take any and all opportunities to prosecute these
hackers”.
