IP: Comcast broadband data exposed Corporate ‘lead’ database put on Web, left unprotected

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

> http://www.msnbc.com/news/701661.asp

DETAILS FOR ACCESSING the database were posted in an Internet mailing list 
devoted to computer security issues on Wednesday by researcher Russell Handorf.

Anyone following the trivial instructions found a Web-based "front-end" to 
a database of leads for Comcast Business Communications --- a division of 
Comcast Telecommunications Inc.

Among the options listed on the site were sales calls by zip code, revenue 
forecasts, sales pending, top 100 customers and "approved credit memos."

Sam Muptalla, vice president of Information Technology for Comcast Business 
Communications, admitted the database trouble on Thursday, but stressed 
that the data did not belong to current Comcast customers.

He added that the Web site had been shut down Thursday in response to the 
complaint.

The firm has been transitioning about 1 million customers off the @home 
network since December, when Excite@Home announced it was shutting down.

The transition has not been smooth; many customers have complained of 
service interruptions and difficulty changing their e-mail addresses.


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