If you use LivingSocial, you may have been horrified to receive an email about the site being hacked. Millions use the daily deal site and trusted the site to keep their information safe. Hackers were able to hit one of the largest databases of personal information on Friday, comprising the accounts of more than 50 million users.
While no exact numbers have been released, all users have been notified of the attack. LivingSocial wanted to act quickly to help users best protect their information, not only on LivingSocial, but on other sites where they use the same password.
* LivingSocial sent out emails to all users quickly following the hack. The site also posted a notice asking users to change their passwords.
*The site is based in Washington and is partly owned by Amazon. Though the site states it has around 70 million customers, LivingSocial reports closer to 50 million accounts were hacked. The difference in numbers is due to only the U.S. databases being hacked. LivingSocial divisions in South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia have not been affected.
* Credit card and any other financial data was not compromised. All financial data is stored on separate servers from other personal information.
* LivingSocial has failed to state when the attack happened or what type of attack it was.
* LivingSocial isn’t alone and is just the latest in a hacking spree. LinkedIn and Evernote are just a few major companies recently hacked.
* Hackers were able to make off with email addresses, names and encrypted passwords for users.
* No more details are being released until the attack has been completely investigated. LivingSocial is working alongside law enforcement to learn how the attack happened so they can better secure its system.
* LivingSocial was quick to inform users that no unusual activity had occurred since the attack. This includes unauthorized charges.
* The email went out to employees first.
* The attack couldn’t have come at a worse time for the already struggling site. LivingSocial was already experiencing financial difficulties and the attack could worsen the situation.
Since LivingSocial uses encrypted passwords, hackers will have to work to uncover the actual passwords. However, users should change their passwords immediately. If you use the same password on other sites, it is also a good idea to change the password on those sites as well. Another good idea to stay safe during this breach is to immediately delete any stored financial data. Hackers could potentially log in as you and use any stored financial information to make unauthorized purchases.