Bell Canada - Largest telecommunication company in Canada, servers wer hacked. So far, 1.9 million e-mail, and 1,700 phone numebr and named leaked.

[GoodBytes]

Bell Canada, the largest telecommunication company in Canada, providing TV services, Internet, telephone, and mobile phone services, including being a TV and Radio broadcaster (under Bell Media branding), got their servers compromised. An anonymous hacker has leaked so far, 1.9 million e-mails and 1,700 customer information such as phone number and names. The hacker says that because Bell is not paying the ransom, that he will leak more information soon.

 

 

Bell Canada didn't confirm if the information leaked is correct or not, and the company apologies, and says that no password or other personal information were leaked.

Quote

There is no indication that any financial, password or other sensitive personal information was accessed,

 

However, in addition, more than 150 employee and contractor information were leaked as well, including name, job title, location:

Quote

Bell is apologizing to its customers after 1.9 million email addresses and approximately 1,700 names and phone numbers were stolen from a company database.

The information appears to have been posted online, but the company could not confirm the leaked data was one and the same.

[...]

A person or group alleging to be behind the attack wrote in a post online that they were "releasing a significant portion of Bell.ca's data due to the fact that they have failed to cooperate with us."

 

"This shows how Bell doesn't care for its customers safety and they could have avoided this public announcement," the post continues. "Bell, if you don't cooperate more will leak :)"

 

The post links to a set of files containing a long list of email addresses and related customer information that appear similar in size and substance to Bell's description of the stolen data — but also includes phone numbers, locations, job titles and other pieces of information about more than 150 supposed Bell contractors and employees.

When reached by phone, Bell's director of communications Marc Choma told CBC News that he couldn't comment on the incident or the apparent archive of leaked data because the investigation was continuing.

 

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/bell-data-breach-customer-names-phone-numbers-emails-leak-1.4116608

 

[IrshaadH]

It's difficult to sympathize with a company that, in 2017, continues to charge $60 a month for 5 Mb/s download speeds.

[NTDaws]

1 minute ago, IrshaadH said:

It's difficult to sympathize for a company that, in 2017, continues to charge $60 a month for 5 Mb/s download speeds.

Thats why we went telus. $80 for 150/150

[Sauron]

Quote

"This shows how Bell doesn't care for its customers safety and they could have avoided this public announcement," the post continues. "Bell, if you don't cooperate more will leak :)"

This is pretty pathetic and hypocritical of the attacker, it's not like they're doing this for charity.

[GoodBytes]

6 minutes ago, IrshaadH said:

It's difficult to sympathize for a company that, in 2017, continues to charge $60 a month for 5 Mb/s download speeds.

You are not enjoying calling them monthly for billing errors? That is their business model, apparently. Make mistakes "by accident" on a monthly basis, where the consumer always looses, and hope they don't call for correction and just pay the higher fee.

[Froody129]

4 minutes ago, Sauron said:

This is pretty pathetic and hypocritical of the attacker, it's not like they're doing this for charity.

They know... They're being sarcastic 

 

If just your email address and phone number were leaked then you should be fine though. It's not like it's a secret

[SCHISCHKA]

For anyone who is paranoid. Tutanota.de is a company that provides encrypted email. This does not mean the emails are sent and received encrypted, it means data is stored in a way that no staff or hacker can read you mail.

[EasonIDontKnowAnything]

Im quite sick of hackers. I mean I've always wanted to learn how to be one but I meant these type of assholes are just. DOGS. SCUM OF THE SEWERS

[IrshaadH]

42 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

You are not enjoying calling them monthly for billing errors? That is their business model, apparently. Make mistakes "by accident" on a monthly basis, where the consumer always looses, and hope they don't call for correction and just pay the higher fee.

Oh, I wish it were an error.  They actually think this is a fair price, and don't plan on installing fiber optic in my neighbourhood anytime soon.  

 

Switched to Rogers last summer and am getting 150/10 for the same price!

[GoodBytes]

25 minutes ago, SCHISCHKA said:

For anyone who is paranoid. Tutanota.de is a company that provides encrypted email. This does not mean the emails are sent and received encrypted, it means data is stored in a way that no staff or hacker can read you mail.

The problem is not us, or power users, unless you are part of the 1700 leaked personal info.. at least so far.. and nothing says that the hack won't sell that information regardless to the black market for someone else to exploit). The problem is that SOOOO many people uses their ISP e-mail address (which is stupid by itself, as it locks you in to their service. If you switch, you lose your e-mil account).

[Taf the Ghost]

People need to stop trying to hack Linus.  Seriously.

[GoodBytes]

2 minutes ago, IrshaadH said:

Oh, I wish it were an error.  They actually think this is a fair price, and don't plan on installing fiber optic in my neighbourhood anytime soon.  

 

Switched to Rogers last summer and am getting 150/10 for the same price!

I switch to Videotron, and I never looked back. Yes, they are a bit more expensive than Bell offering in Montreal area, but the service has been always solid, doesn't cut internet access when someone uses the building intercom system, no billing error, and decent customer service and tech support (except if you have a Windows Phone, they pretty much just hang up on you when you ask for support. Mobile phone is with Rogers). Also, Videotron provide fiber service if I get a home in the future and want a fiber line at home.

[SCHISCHKA]

17 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

The problem is not us, or power users, unless you are part of the 1700 leaked personal info.. at least so far.. and nothing says that the hack won't sell that information regardless to the black market for someone else to exploit). The problem is that SOOOO many people uses their ISP e-mail address (which is stupid by itself, as it locks you in to their service. If you switch, you lose your e-mil account).

I tried to tell my parents that. spark nz got caught up in the yahoo breach but people still use it. At least providers like the one I posted above let you use your own domain, it's only a few dollars a year

[ResidentRad]

30 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

I switch to Videotron, and I never looked back. Yes, they are a bit more expensive than Bell offering in Montreal area, but the service has been always solid, doesn't cut internet access when someone uses the building intercom system, no billing error, and decent customer service and tech support (except if you have a Windows Phone, they pretty much just hang up on you when you ask for support. Mobile phone is with Rogers). Also, Videotron provide fiber service if I get a home in the future and want a fiber line at home.

 

I wish those options existed out West. The lack of a true option for Canadians is truly sad. Wind Mobile, bless their dead souls, had the chance to actually become a valid, national player if it weren't for the pathetic protectionism that shut down their attempts at expansion. Freedom, and Shaw, I have my reservations. Shaw being a Canadian company doesn't have to put up with the BS that Wind did, they are free to expand aggressively and burn the billions required to upgrade the infrastructure to be a fully LTE capable network; I just hope the prices can continue to stay reasonable. 

 

Its weird. In Canada, a PAYG plan gets you peanuts and you are made to feel like a poor person because you don't believe in wasting money on a bloated plan. Overseas? I currently have a 45 dollar a month unlimited blah vblah blah plan, includes international minutes with rollover, and 6GB of LTE a month. for 45 bucks! Its actually fantastic, I certainly don't need to spring for the 6GB version, but because they include everything I get my tethering and so forth from it as well. And this is still on a Pay as you go plan, which I prefer to having any fixed contract. 

 

Canadians, and I hate to say this, have no spine. We just shut up and accept all the price increases, the add ons that up the price; we accept it as a reality and never fight back and make it known that we don't want to put up with it. Companies will charge what they think the market can tolerate, and we Canadians keep tolerating disgusting amounts. Its a nasty system top to bottom and our national regulator should be ashamed for how they have favored the ISPs and telecoms all these years 

[GoodBytes]

1 hour ago, ResidentRad said:

Canadians, and I hate to say this, have no spine. We just shut up and accept all the price increases, the add ons that up the price; we accept it as a reality and never fight back and make it known that we don't want to put up with it. Companies will charge what they think the market can tolerate, and we Canadians keep tolerating disgusting amounts. Its a nasty system top to bottom and our national regulator should be ashamed for how they have favored the ISPs and telecoms all these years 

Yes and no. I mean, I am sure some Canadian files a formal complaint... ok j/k

But on serious note, I don't think so. For example, when Target arrived in Canada, Canadians were really excited due to the increase competition. And despite the horrible launch, Canadian went back to Target several times trying to give the store a chance to get things together and when they are actually buy things. Sadly, Target was a disaster. The best they had to offer (beside empty shelves (maybe they were trying to sell stores shelves... for people to buy.. huh... didn't think about that) and Zellers reject stock that didn't sale from their liquidations) was liquidation prices during their closure that was at least on par as regular prices from other stores, just to highlight how over priced they were on many items.

 

The big problem is that we lack competition. We have virtually none. Remember when the Canadian currency was on par with the US? Great number of Canadian went to the US to buy their food, and enjoy a wider selection of items. Why they did this? 'cause paying the fuel and their time to go there, was still cheaper than buying food in Canada, because prices never dropped to reflect market prices. Zellers was the only store that did sell things properly, but it was mostly electronic, and most people didn't know, due to their horrible marketing. I used to go to buy console games, as they were US prices and not Canadian. Stores just took advantage of the situation to bring mass profit, and they said the same excuses: Oh Canada is big, transport cost is massive, oh it takes a long time for price to adjust, but the moment the Canadian drop at 90 cent, BOOM price adjusted higher, at lightning speed, increasing the cost of thing further. All the big super markets are really owned by 2 companies, and they doing a duopoly, and I am sure they are doing price fixing, and working with manufactures to keep prices high to others. So, Canadians are screwed.

[Senzelian]

3 hours ago, IrshaadH said:

It's difficult to sympathize with a company that, in 2017, continues to charge $60 a month for 5 Mb/s download speeds.

I would pay that. The German Telekom (aka. T-Mobile) charges 40 Euros for 2Mb/s and doesnt want to roll out fiber or even V-DSL. It took the city more than 5 years to be able to get a contract for fiber in the first place and will take another 16 years to upgrade the current infrastructure. Right now I would love to get my data stolen and pay 100 euros a month for those 5Mb/s you mentioned...

[Andreas Lilja]

Does this affect Virgin Mobile too?

 

[GoodBytes]

Just now, Raskolnikov said:

Does this affect Virgin Mobile too?

 

No information from what I can see. But it is probably customer information only (and the companies employee), so if your are with Virgin, despite using Bell network, your info is with Bell. At least, I would hope so.

[themctipers]

5 hours ago, IrshaadH said:

It's difficult to sympathize with a company that, in 2017, continues to charge $60 a month for 5 Mb/s download speeds.

Sub megabit speeds in my area, and at $100. 

 

 

I guess linus got hacked again.  He probably did switch to Rogers since his s8 review had Rogers apps and was on that network.  

[trag1c]

Fuck em. Shitty Canadian telecom companies.

[lkarej]

All the major telecoms in Canada are p bad.
W/e. They probs had it coming.

 

Our family runs with Telus right now, and the ONLY reason we're still with them is because dear mother decided to use the email address they provided for literally everything.
I'm probably going to get my own internet connection via cable (family uses DSL) directly to my room now that I'm an "adult" (I definitely don't act like one lmao).

I've been checking out the smaller telecoms for that though because the big ones are all p ass. High prices for low speeds etc etc.

Basically what @trag1c said.

[MoonSpot]

15 hours ago, GoodBytes said:

Yes and no. I mean, I am sure some Canadian files a formal complaint... ok j/k

But on serious note, I don't think so. For example, when Target arrived in Canada, Canadians were really excited due to the increase competition. And despite the horrible launch, Canadian went back to Target several times trying to give the store a chance to get things together and when they are actually buy things. Sadly, Target was a disaster. The best they had to offer (beside empty shelves (maybe they were trying to sell stores shelves... for people to buy.. huh... didn't think about that) and Zellers reject stock that didn't sale from their liquidations) was liquidation prices during their closure that was at least on par as regular prices from other stores, just to highlight how over priced they were on many items.

 

The big problem is that we lack competition. We have virtually none. Remember when the Canadian currency was on par with the US? Great number of Canadian went to the US to buy their food, and enjoy a wider selection of items. Why they did this? 'cause paying the fuel and their time to go there, was still cheaper than buying food in Canada, because prices never dropped to reflect market prices. Zellers was the only store that did sell things properly, but it was mostly electronic, and most people didn't know, due to their horrible marketing. I used to go to buy console games, as they were US prices and not Canadian. Stores just took advantage of the situation to bring mass profit, and they said the same excuses: Oh Canada is big, transport cost is massive, oh it takes a long time for price to adjust, but the moment the Canadian drop at 90 cent, BOOM price adjusted higher, at lightning speed, increasing the cost of thing further. All the big super markets are really owned by 2 companies, and they doing a duopoly, and I am sure they are doing price fixing, and working with manufactures to keep prices high to others. So, Canadians are screwed.

Hallelujah hallelujah.  Sing it to the heavens brother!  Canadian stores are just a pack of crony horse$#!7 that make-believe at open market.

16 hours ago, ResidentRad said:

 

I wish those options existed out West. The lack of a true option for Canadians is truly sad. Wind Mobile, bless their dead souls, had the chance to actually become a valid, national player if it weren't for the pathetic protectionism that shut down their attempts at expansion. Freedom, and Shaw, I have my reservations...

Isn't shaw just rogers is disguise?  Wouldn't be surprised to find out that the Shaw's and Roger's families bunk together for Thanksgiving and plug away at eachother on weekends.  Maybe invite the politician of the month over for a group sing-a-long to square off how else to put the squeeze regular joe.

 

I vividly remember geting amped to get the nokia n95/n97 since it was going to do VOIP calling for free over wifi, only to find out Rogers gutted the piss out of it and that people were going to have to pay $10/mth to enable the feature.  [Insert crazed crying-laughter]  pay for your internet, then pay to let your phone access YOUR internet to use the VOIP applications developed by the phone manufacturer...

Duringthat time I got to watch CDN govs, rogers and bell completely gut the internet, voip services/providers and other ISP start ups into oblivion.  All while silencing people throwing fits over how completely BS everything they were doing was.

So when you lament Canadians being idiotic bendovers, know you ain't the only one who thinks so, but the phoney "I don't know this works" political creatures selling us out are our real problem.  They know damn well and are just throwing others under the bus for $.

 

 just try to get google voice to work in canada and you'll see how adept they all suddenly are at protecting these cronies.

 

Now I'm all mad and salty at shit again.  #@$ing dammit all.

[mr moose]

People like to go on about the telcos being greedy as being the cause of insane prices. But the reality is data breaches cause each industry millions per event.   While I wouldn't say they aren't pricks, it isn't the biggest factor in end cost to consumers.

 

 

[Foxxer]

On 5/16/2017 at 5:51 PM, IrshaadH said:

It's difficult to sympathize with a company that, in 2017, continues to charge $60 a month for 5 Mb/s download speeds.

We have the same issue, charging premium prices, but they keep adding newer technology which kinda justifies it I guess.

[LAwLz]

Kind of unrelated but at the same time not...

Look! More evidence that having companies collect personal data about you is a horrible idea.

Just imagine what damages this could have caused if Bell was collecting and/or if the attackers had gotten more info out of their systems.

 

I kind of hope more things like this will happen, so that people who always say they "have nothing to hide" and "it's OK for company X to do it because company Y does it too" realize what terrible idea it is to just have all your personal data gathered left and right.

Attacks like these are getting more and more common, so it's of upmost important to limit the amount of personal information companies have access to.