Hackers breach security vendor's defences

Ashampoo informs 14 million customers.

German software developer Ashampoo has informed its 14 million customers
that hackers gained access to its customer database in an embarrassing
security breach.

The breach stings particularly for Ashampoo because it offers security
software as part of its product portfolio.

Ashampoo chief executive Rolf Hilchner emailed customers and posted a
message on the software vendor.s website after discovering that hackers
had gained access to one of its servers.

.Like many other companies, we are targeted by organisations of hackers
that try to break into IT systems in order to steal data,. he said.
.Unfortunately, one of our security systems fell victim to such an attack
recently. An unauthorised access to one of our servers took place..

The company said billing information - including credit card and banking
details . had not been compromised in the attack, as that data was stored
on a separate system.