MailChimp Finds Major Error in System
MailChimp, an email distribution site, has found a major privacy error within their systems. The error is believed to be in every link sent out in all of the emails they’ve distributed. For instance, a website link shares the users current and past webpages visited and the unsubscribe link shares the user’s full email address. The issues with this privacy violation is hackers are able to obtain all of this information, and what they could do with it is quite troubling.
Once a cyber criminal has access to your email address they could breach your email account. This may not sound like a major deal, but if you think about all of the personal information you have tied to your email account, you may think twice. Typically, users have their alternative email addresses listed, phone number, location, and birth date listed. In addition, they could obtain a list of all of your contacts, read any emails — including those from insurance companies, banking institutions, and any others for that matter.
Even if they gain access to your account, hackers could still send you phishing emails with malware attached.
This is just a big can of worms you don’t want opened. As a public service announcement — DO NOT share your email address on websites. We often times see people reply to our blog posts with help desk requests. If you’re a PC Matic user and need technical assistance, you may contact our technicians via our online helpdesk at www.pcmatic.com/help. Do not leave your email address on a public domain. Again — a can of worms you don’t want to open.
