Twitter erupts as O2 accused of sharing phone numbers
There are often concerns how our personal data is protected as we rely on the internet and our cell phones more than ever. There are often security breaches with hackers gaining access to various websites, and now Twitter erupts as O2 is accused of sharing user’s phone numbers.
O2 customers reacted furiously this morning after it emerged that when they visit a website via their smartphone, the carrier sends the site their phone number. This serious security flaw means that any malicious website can get hold of your number and use it with a phishing attack or other scam.
According to an article at Mobile News the operator is putting in a customer’s number via header information when they visit a website. The security flaw was first found by user Lewis Peckover, and the number appears in the header information so the website can display the page to suit the user’s smartphone an OS.