Yahoo Inc is preparing to disclose a “massive” data breach of its main service, Recode reported yesterday, just as Verizon Communications Inc prepares to take over the ailing Internet company’s core assets.
The break-in was “widespread and serious” and is expected to be disclosed this week, the tech news Web site said, citing several anonymous sources close to the situation as saying.
Yahoo did not respond to telephone and e-mailed requests for comment outside of normal business hours.
200 MILLION ACCOUNTS
Such a revelation would confirm earlier reports that the same hacker who stole data from LinkedIn was now selling information from 200 million Yahoo accounts on a dark Web marketplace.
“It’s as bad as that,” one source told Recode. “Worse, really.”
The data up for sale included user names, scrambled passwords and birth dates and likely dated from 2012, Motherboard reported last month, citing the cyberattacker, who went by the name Peace.
Yahoo said at the time that it was investigating the claim.
BAD TIMING
Reports of the security breach come just as Yahoo chief executive officer Marissa Mayer is about to close a deal that ends the once-dominant Internet firm’s independence.
Verizon is acquiring Yahoo’s Internet assets for US$4.8 billion, bringing the Web portal together with longtime rival AOL.
Verizon will pick up services that still draw 1 billion monthly users, including mail, news and sports content and financial tools.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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