Time Warner Cable (TWC) is planning to notify 320,000 of its customers whose account information might have been compromised. The American cable telecommunications company first learned of the issue after the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) reached out and alerted them to the fact that some of their customers' email addresses and passwords might have been compromised, reports Reuters.
"Approximately 320,000 customers across our markets could be impacted by this situation," Eric Mangan, public relations director for Time Warner Cable, explained to Salted Hash. "To protect the security of these customers, we are sending emails and direct mail correspondence to encourage them to update their email passwords as a precaution."
Mangan went on to say that the cable provider is currently unaware of how the information might have been stolen. After finding no evidence of a breach into TWC's systems, he believes that the emails and passwords could have been exposed by malware downloaded during a phishing campaign that individually targeted Time Warner customers. Alternatively, other companies that store the telecommunication company's information might have experienced a data breach themselves. TWC is currently working with the FBI, whose information was part of a larger security disclosure that according to CNET involved other internet providers, to investigate the incident further. NBC News writes that all of the affected accounts--that is, all that were reported by the FBI to TWC--are centered around the cable provider's Roadrunner service. Customers who have used Roadrunner in the past are therefore urged to change their passwords as soon as possible.
"We're contacting customers who could potentially be affected so they can take precautions, including changing their password to a strong, unique alternative," a TWC spokesman said. "Additionally, through our website we provide several tips for how to navigate the Web more carefully and how to avoid phishing schemes."
For expert advice on how you can optimize your password security, please click here.
