All 3 billion Yahoo users could have been compromised, new assessment reveals

(Oct 4): Yahoo, the internet company acquired by Verizon Communications Inc. this year, now believes a 2013 security breach exposed all 3 billion of its users at the time.

The assessment, based on new intelligence obtained after the US$4.5 billion ($6.1 billion) acquisition, compares with Yahoo’s initial estimate that 1 billion accounts were compromised. The information stolen didn’t include passwords in clear text, payment data or bank accounts. Yahoo is notifying users.

Verizon, which is combining Yahoo with its AOL business to attract more internet advertising, had negotiated a US$350 million price cut on the deal after Yahoo disclosed the 2013 breach and a subsequent hack in 2014. Verizon and Altaba Inc., the former owner of the Yahoo Internet assets Verizon acquired, agreed earlier this year to split evenly the liability costs of consumer and business lawsuits related to the breach. Altaba also has to cover any shareholder liability costs.

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