Theft Protection Service Puts Users

Theft Protection Service Puts Users' Identities in Jeopardy

A service known to protect the identities of users is now realizing it might have made its users vulnerable to attack.

LifeLock's identity theft protection service suffered from a security flaw that made users' identities vulnerable to potential attackers. The even forced its parent company, Symantec, to pull part of its website down to fix the issue after it was notified by KrebsOnSecurity.

“It is a bit ironic that LifeLock is a security company focused on helping 4.5 million consumers protect their online identities," Pravin Kothari, CEO of CipherCloud said. "They need to be on top of cyber defense best practices. This poor set-up seems to have allowed anyone to harvest all of the LifeLock subscriber emails, potentially for a phishing campaign or worse."

According to Krebs, Atlanta-based security researcher Nathan Reese discovered the vulnerability when he received a newsletter from the service. Upon clicking "unsubscribe," a page that clearly showed his subscriber key popped up. That allowed Reese to write a script that sequences numbers, which was able to pull keys and their corresponding email addresses from the service.

“This is a poor programming practice, not a misconfiguration," Mounir Hahad, head of threat research at Juniper Networks said. "On a positive note, it’s good that only email addresses were leaked. These are still valuable, but not as valuable as if names were associated with them. Single email addresses with names, or even a few hundred, might not have much street value on the dark web, but a list of several million could fetch a few thousand dollars."

Hahad explains that the trouble begins when email address and subscriber IDs are cross referenced with the billions of previously leaked online accounts from other incidents, such as the Yahoo leak in 2013.

"From there, phishing campaigns can be very persuasive and may lead to people unknowingly handing out their passwords to scammers," Hahad said.

How could this have been avioided? Kothari says LifeLock should do what the financial industry does.

"They regularly hire white hat hackers to penetration test their network and external defenses," Kothari said. "This is exactly the sort of incorrect set-up and misconfiguration a reputable penetration tester would have likely discovered. It would have been quietly fixed by now - no harm, no foul. All of this hoopla over the huge potential exposure of LifeLock customer data was totally avoidable.”

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • Pragmatism, Productivity, and the Push for Accountability in 2025-2026

    Every year, the security industry debates whether artificial intelligence is a disruption, an enabler, or a distraction. By 2025, that conversation matured, where AI became a working dimension in physical identity and access management (PIAM) programs. Observations from 2025 highlight this turning point in AI’s role in access control and define how security leaders are being distinguished based on how they apply it. Read Now

  • Report: Cyber Attackers Continue to Turn to AI-Based Tools to Avoid Detection

    Comcast Business recently released its 2025 Cybersecurity Threat Report, a comprehensive analysis of 34.6 billion cybersecurity events detected between June 1,2024 and May 31, 2025. Now in its third year, the report offers business leaders a unique perspective into the evolving threat landscape and provides actionable insights to help organizations strengthen their defenses and align cybersecurity with business risk. Read Now

  • Axis Communications Creates AI-powered Video Surveillance Orchestra

    What if cameras could not only see the world, but interpret it—and respond like orchestra musicians reading sheet music: instantly, precisely, and in perfect harmony? That’s what global network technology leader Axis Communications set to find out. Read Now

  • Just as Expected

    GSX produced a wonderful tradeshow earlier this week. Monday was surprisingly strong in the morning, and the afternoon wasn’t bad at all. That’s Monday’s results and asking attendees to travel on Sunday. Just a quick hint, no one wants to give up their weekend to travel and set up an exhibit booth. I’m just saying. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • GSX
  • NOLA: The Crescent City

    Twenty years later we finds ourselves in New Orleans. Twenty years ago the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina forced exhibitors and attendees to look elsewhere for tradeshow floor space. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • GSX

New Products

  • HD2055 Modular Barricade

    Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.