(Newswire.net — August 19, 2015) — “Life is too short, have an affair,” reads the Ashley Madison cheating website homepage. For some users of their services, marriage life will be short, after a group of hackers released the names of all Ashley Madison users, WIRED reported.
The Impact Team group claiming to be behind the Ashley Madison hack which snatched sensitive customer information, earlier announced they broke into the website, threatening to release all sensitive data they harvested if the site’s owner refused to take the resource “offline permanently in all forms.” The website owner apparently didn’t get them seriously as hackers released Tuesday about 10 GB of sensitive data.
While Avid Life Media is reassuring their customers that their data is safe, the Impact Team hackers wrote “Time’s up!” on their list of disclosed emails of users.
“It was ALM that failed you and lied to you,” the group added. “Prosecute them and claim damages. Then move on with your life. Learn your lesson and make amends. Embarrassing now, but you’ll get over it.”
It is not known if the hackers came into possession of the credit card numbers and payments but they disclosed a full list of users, among which are some VIP persons and world leaders such as former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. However, since the affair website does not require email address verification, some noted that anyone could have used it to set up a fake account.
Meanwhile Ars Technica reported that ALM has admitted they know about the release of “more of the stolen data.”
“We are actively monitoring and investigating this situation to determine the validity of any information posted online… furthermore, we will continue to put forth substantial efforts into removing any information unlawfully released to the public, as well as continuing to operate our business,” ALM allegedly stated in an email to ArsTechnica.
The hacking is not an activism move, but the “act of criminality,” according to ALM who confirmed FBI is investigating the case, along with The Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Ontario Provincial Police.