Amazon Exposed Customer Email Addresses
An unnamed number of Amazon customers were notified that their email addresses and names were exposed online. Affected customers were already notified by Amazon. A “technical error” was cited. Amazon customers who were affected by the data breach took to the internet to share the notifications they received.
Although the problem, which has not been defined, is resolved there were no details about the incident. Amazon did not disclose how long the names and emails were exposed and to whom.
In the email to affected customers, Amazon said the company had “inadvertently disclosed your name and email address due to a technical error.” The email also advised customers that it was unnecessary to reset passwords since it was “not a result of anything you have done.”
Amazon told the affected customers they did not need to change their passwords. But even with just their names and emails exposed, people could attempt to reset their accounts or target their emails for phishing attacks.
Several people who received the email shared them on social media today. Brian Krebs of krebsonsecurity.com shared a screenshot of the letter. He noted that the URL Amazon used to sign the letter did not come from an HTTPS site. The human signature was also a generic “customer Service” sign-off rather than a personal note from someone, anyone, at Amazon
Should I Change My Amazon Password?
Yes, you should change your Amazon password. Even if it were not for this cyber security incident, you should change your password to all online accounts on a regular basis. Amazon is advising customers that there is no reason to change their passwords but it cannot hurt. We are no receiving any details about what happened other than that there is a third-party involved. Many times when compaines investiagte a data breach, the number of custimers affected increases as more more forensic data becomes known.
How Many Amazon Prime Customers Are There?
An incredible 70% of households with over $150k per year of income who shop online have Amazon Prime memberships. Fifty-one percent of US households are Amazon Prime members. There are over 100 million Amazon Prime customers and 46% of them buy something at least once each week! [1]
Amazon Prime is a membership service where subscribers pay an annual fee. They receive unlimited shopping and free shipping on many products. Subscribers also receive access to movies, books, and music.
[1] Forbes
