The user forum of popular Linux-based operating system Ubuntu has suffered a major security breach over the weekend, with usernames, passwords and emaiil addresses of users being captured by attackers.
Ubuntu user forum operators posted a "down for maintenance notice" acknowledging the breach, and saying they were working hard to restore normal operations:
"What we know
- Unfortunately the attackers have gotten every user's local username, password, and email address from the Ubuntu Forums database.
- The passwords are not stored in plain text. However, if you were using the same password as your Ubuntu Forums one on another service (such as email), you are strongly encouraged to change the password on the other service ASAP.
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Ubuntu One, Launchpad and other Ubuntu/Canonical services are NOT affected by the breach.
On the 2Buntu blog, developer Nathan Osman wrote that "a group of hackers were able to successfully gain root (superuser) access to the servers hosting hosting the Ubuntu Forums today and compromised the entire website".
According to Osman, all usernames, password hashes, email addresses and personal information were compromised.
Ubuntu claims to have more than twenty million users currently. According to Netcraft, Ubuntu Forums use the eponymous Linux-based operating system, Apache 2.0.55 with PHP 5.1.2 and the proprietary vBulletin forum software.
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