A Vietnamese computer hacker has been fined US$980 after he managed to break into the Mobifone network and "stole" six high value phone numbers. Hacker Nguyen Van Nhuan, lived in Hoang Liet Ward, Hoang Mai District, Hanoi, worked for a MobiFone agent, and was able to use a password to log into the providers virtual private network and steal six phone numbers which have a high value as they compose digits which locals consider to be lucky.
According to experts, Nhuan used the password to enter the MobiFone network on several occasion over a number of months. MobiFone was aware of the security breach, and publicly commented on its advanced security system with a firewall that hackers can't bypass.
According to an official of VMS, the operator of MobiFone, this was the mistake of the agent, who leaked the password, and not the fault of the company. The agent has been fined as well.
The official said that Nhuan's illegal logging into MobiFone's network had been detected for some time and MobiFone had warned the agent about security breaches on his password. However, since the company didn't have enough evidence, it could do nothing until Nhuan began operating one of the stolen mobile phone numbers via a MobiFone bureau in Da Nang City.
