With the number of high-profile hacks and data breaches these days, it’s safe to say that if a group of known hackers reaches out to your company to let you know that they have your data, the last thing you want to do is tell them to “fuck off.” Last week, infamous security group OurMine posted over three terabytes of data from the servers of media company Vevo after a company representative allegedly told them to get bent. When will anyone learn?
According to OurMine, the company breached Vevo servers and obtained the data, and then reached out to the company to let them know. This is part of how OurMine operates, and they normally use these hacks to highlight their own line of security products and services, but the Vevo representative wasn’t buying it. In a screenshot of the alleged conversation, the Vevo rep told OurMine to “fuck off,” adding that the hacking group didn’t “have anything” on the company.
So, to prove its point, OurMine dumped all 3.1 terabytes of Vevo’s data along with a message that the company was willing to remove the files if Vevo contacted them. The files were posted overnight and, as of this writing, it seems Vevo complied with OurMine’s request because they have since been removed.
Among the data included in the dump were files on Vevo’s celebrity clients and even instructions on how to disable the alarm system at the company’s offices. Vevo claims the hack was made possible due to a phishing attack perpetrated via LinkedIn, though they didn’t go into great detail.
If there’s a lesson here it’s probably the painfully obvious advice that mocking hackers is never a great idea.
