LINE app urges password changes as Japan probes hacking

[webfact]

Line app urges password changes as Japan probes hacking

TOKYO - Smartphone messenger application Line, which has hundreds of millions of users across Asia, was urging people to change their passwords Thursday as Japanese police investigated the hacking of hundreds of accounts.

At least 303 cases of unauthorised access were confirmed between late May and June 14, including three that involved cash trades resulting in financial loss, a Line spokesman told AFP, without providing further details.

"We are cooperating with police in investigating the cases, and we are calling for users to change passwords," the spokesman said.

The accounts were hacked "presumably after shared passwords with other online services were leaked somewhere else," he said, adding that to the company’s knowledge, all of the breaches occurred in Japan.

Another spokeswoman for the company stressed that Line’s servers had not come under attack.

"Line’s system itself has suffered nothing abnormal. It is not that our system was hacked," she said.

A police spokesman said the case was under investigation.
AFP


-- The Nation 2014-06-19

[Kerryd]

Oh no ! Someone might try using my Line account to send smiley face icons to my 2 Line account "friends" ! The horror, the HORROR !

(Hacking my Line account might be the best thing that could happen to me. I could actually end up with "friends" I'd actually want to converse with !!)

[dominique355]

A password for Line? I don't have a password, didn't even know you can (or should) use one.

[IsaanUSA]

A password for Line? I don't have a password, didn't even know you can (or should) use one.

I also did not know that

[nikster]

A password for Line? I don't have a password, didn't even know you can (or should) use one.

I also did not know that

Most people don't know, and most never bother.

You can set a password. As far as I know the only reason to do that is to use the desktop app. Also if you change phone number, or use the same account on multiple phones, you need the password. By default the account is simply tied to your phone number.