Newsashley madison hacking, ashley madison website, the impact team, Avid Life Media Inc, Avid Life Media, hackers, dating websites, cheating websites
Jul 20, 2015 11:37 PM EDT
Ashley Madison, a cheating website was attacked by a group of hackers calling themselves the "Impact Team". They were provoked to hack the website after finding out that Avid Life Media's Full Delete feature does not totally work even though the company charges customers to pay $19 for the service.
The hackers threatened to release customers' personal information if the website will not be permanently closed.
A report from Metro UK revealed that the hackers obtained private information from 37 million users subscribed to the website.
"We are the Impact Team. We have taken over all systems in your entire office and production domains, all customer information databases, source code repositories, financial records, emails", part of the message from the hackers reads.
The Impact Team is demanding Avid Life Media to terminate Ashley Madison and Established Men website or they will expose vital information.
"Shutting down AM and EM will cost you, but non-compliance will cost you more", the threat continues.
Hackers claim to have gained access to all customer records, profiles, with all the customers' secret sexual fantasies, nude pictures, and conversations and matching credit card transactions, real names and addresses, and employee documents and emails.
It said further that Avid Life Media will be liable for fraud and extreme harm to millions of users.
In an official statement, Avid Life Media Inc. defends the security of the website. The company said they hired a top law firm and an IT security team to patch up the leak,
"At this time, we have been able to secure our sites, and close the unauthorized access points. We are working with law enforcement agencies, which are investigating this criminal act", the company said.
The hackers were displeased of ALM's rule asking an additional $19 for full deletion of the service which the company does not actually deliver.
"Users almost always pay with credit card; their purchase details are not removed as promised, and include real names and address, which is of course the most important information the users want removed", said Impact Team.
Unlike other dating websites, instead of linking two bachelors, Ashley Madison caters to married couples who wants to have an affair. The website is proud of having 37 million members; generally from U.S. and Canada with some 1 million British.
The cheating website has been prone to hackers since information from its servers can be used for intimidation and bribery.