Microsoft admits Xbox Live security breach could be related to pretexting

Microsoft admits Xbox Live security breach could be related to pretexting

Microsoft has said that there is indeed no security breach on their Xbox Live network. However, the company said that the reported account information leakage might have taken place through a social-engineering technique known as “pretexting.”

Larry Hryb, Microsoft’s Xbox Live Director of Programming confirmed in a statement that “Xbox Live has not been hacked. That is still true.”

He added on pretexting related account leakage: “There’s no other way to say it. This situation shouldn’t have happened. Our customers deserve better.”

Stephen Toulouse, a senior product manager in Microsoft’s Security Technology Unit added: “I hated the reason I had to be in [the Xbox Live] offices but getting to work over there was an experience I wouldn’t trade for any amount of money.”

He added: “The point is that this wasn’t a technology problem. Few people were impacted, and we’ll make sure that customers aren’t on the hook financially for any activity in the Xbox marketplace if someone got their account.”