AT&T, T-Mobile voicemail easily hacked
updated 03:35 pm EST, Fri December 12, 2008
ATT and T-Mo Vmail Hacked
Both AT&T and T-Mobile today said they have agreed to settle lawsuits accusing each of overstating the security of their cellular networks' voicemail systems. The two have been asked to pay $59,300 and $25,000 respectively to the plaintiffs in the case and also forces the two to avoid marketing claims that promote their systems as secure. Neither has had to admit problems as a result of the settlement.
The settlement is mainly the result of a Los Angeles district attorney investigation which found that outsiders could easily get access to a voicemail account by spoofing identities or through the lack of a proper password for mailboxes. Investigators said they were able to change or erase messages as well as particular information associated with accounts.
The two carriers say they have been working with the district attorney and claim that they're educating users on the importance of choosing a good password.
Although iPhone owners don't normally use AT&T's traditional call-in voicemail system, they too are potentially vulnerable as Visual Voicemail only converts traditional messages to sound files and doesn't eliminate the background voicemail system.
