I think the following addresses the problem.


· Microsoft Resolves Hotmail Security Issue
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/misc/08-30hotmail.htm
A letter to customers explains how Microsoft acted quickly to address a
potential security issue and ensure customer privacy.


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Conchologists of America List [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
> Behalf Of Amy Lyn Edwards
> Sent: Thursday, September 02, 1999 1:43 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: OFF topic post - HotMail Cracked
>
>
> FYI:
> I am posting this email to the list only because I know several list
> members have hotmail accounts.  Please do NOT start a thread about this on
> conch-l.  If you are interested look at the URL in the post.
> Amy
>
> >Date:         Mon, 30 Aug 1999 11:07:56 -0400
> >Subject:      HotMail Cracked
> >
> >HotMail (Microsofts Free
> >Email System) has been cracked. The gist of the crack is that a backdoor
> >has been found which allows anyone to get email messages for any given
> >user.
> >
> >There has been some debate as to whether or not this is a Microsoft
> >programming issue or not, and SlashDot seems to have this debate covered,
> >so I'll leave that issue there. http://www.slashdot.org/
> >
> >The point is that if you have users who are using Hotmail at home, you
> >might want to recommend that they, 1.) clean anything sensitive out of
> >their Hotmail accounts immediately, especially credit card numbers and
> >other money stuff if they ordered anything through their hotmail accounts
> >2.) explore an alternative email service provider. Changing your password
> >is not going to work against this issue, so its probably best to exercise
> >an extreme amount of caution.
>
> Amy Edwards, Program Coordinator ------ [log in to unmask]
>
> Georgia Museum of Natural History    --------    phone (706) 542-4137
> University of Georgia            --------            FAX 706-542-3920
> Athens, GA 30602-1882       --------       http://museum.nhm.uga.edu/
> -------------------------------------------------------------------
> "A man's mind, stretched by new ideas, can never go back to its original
> dimensions."             Oliver Wendell Holmes
>