This week, however, it seemed that Xbox Live wasn’t as secure as people initially thought with reports of a large scale hacking of subscriber accounts. As it turns out, it now appears that The Sun sensationalised the security breach, stating that thousands of Xbox Live accounts had been hacked with “millions of dollars” stolen.
Microsoft says that’s not the case at all, but users of the Xbox 360 online service have actually been the victims of multiple phishing attacks that have fooled gamers into disclosing their details over the web. In a statement made by Microsoft it said:
"Xbox Live has not been hacked. Microsoft can confirm that there has been no breach to the security of our Xbox Live service. In this case, a number of Xbox Live members appear to have recently been victim of malicious 'phishing' scams."
Microsoft claims that the phishing scam arrives in the form of an email that points recipients to a fake website where they’re asked to enter personal information, including credit card numbers. Phishing scams have been doing the rounds for many years, so we should all really now recognise the signs.
Here are a few pointers:
Don’t open unsolicited emails
Be suspicious of any email with urgent requests for personal financial information
Don't use the links in an email, instant message, or chat to get to any web page if you suspect the message might not be authentic or you don't know the sender or user's handle
Avoid filling out forms in email messages that ask for personal financial information
Always ensure that you're using a secure website when submitting credit card or other sensitive information via your Web browser
Regularly check your bank, credit and debit card statements to ensure that all transactions are legitimate
Always report "phishing" or “spoofed” e-mails through the appropriate channels
Microsoft is now working with all affected customers who have been in touch to ensure their accounts are secure.
