Security Bulletin Mistakenly Reveals Private E-Mail Data

October 4, 2007 10:29 a.m. EST

Washington, DC (AHN) - U.S. security officials and military personnel found their e-mail information spread across the Internet after a basic e-mail snafu launched an avalanche of more than 2 million messages.

The New York Times reported a Department of Homeland Security newsletter by mistakenly was sent using Reply All, an error that exposed the e-mail addresses and phone numbers of highly sensitive list participants.

Before the glitch was discovered nine hours later, someone who identified himself as a member of Iran's Ministry of Defense asked whether the mistake was a joke.

The SANS Institute's Internet Storm Center Thursday said the goof-up with the DHS Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report mailing provided phishers a wealth of data to use for future attacks.