Top Ten Email News Stories of 2014
Despite texting and various other Apps which facilitate sending virtual messages and media to friends and family, Email still stands out as one of the most used virtual commerce options. And as such, many scandals and news-worthy stories can come from it. Here, we will outline ten of the most talked about Email News Stories from 2014.
1. Sony Email Breach
The Sony Pictures hack has been making news headlines for a couple weeks now; outlining several celeb’s to have their Emails made public. Big names like Beyoncé, Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Lawrence, and Channing Tatum are among those affected. Producer Scott Rudin said he is ‘deeply sorry’ for the breach, and the company is asking news outlets to ‘stop reporting about leaked contents’ in an effort to calm the storm. You can read more about it here.
2. US vs. Microsoft Ireland Email Dispute
For the better part of 2014, the US Department of Justice has been trying to gain access to Emails stored on a server in Dublin, Ireland. Microsoft refused, insisting that a warrant issued by a US judge had no jurisdiction over a server hosted overseas. Microsoft and the US DoJ have been locked in this back and forth battle for a year with no evidence of either side backing down. Read the full story here.
3. Email Puts School District Into Lockdown
All schools in the RSU 14 Windham district of Maine were put into lockdown on Monday, December 15th. Additionally, school was cancelled throughout the district for Tuesday. What triggered this? Two school officials arrived Monday morning and were greeted by two separate Emails threatening an attack on the school. The threats, arriving just one day after the two year anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut, are described by the police as coming from two separate sources. Doors were locked, and teachers were briefed on what to do in the event of an attack. School officials met, and decided the best course of action would be sending all the kids home. No attack happened, but the district is on high alert and the investigation into the Emails is ongoing. Read the full story here.
4. Letter From Santa Email Scam
The holiday season tends to bring out the best in people. Everywhere you can see someone handing their fellow shopper $5, Santa’s stand on corners collecting money for charity, and everyone seems just a little more pleasant. Unfortunately the season also sees the worst come out as well. The Better Business Bureau released a warning about the ‘Letters from Santa’ email scheme which has been circulating this season. The email promises a ‘Santa Package’ for your child which includes a hand signed letter from Santa, a Santa map, and a copy of Santa’s ‘Nice List’ (which has been checked twice!). All for a modest price of $19.99 and FREE shipping. What a deal! The email takes you to an authentic looking (but fake) webpage where you put in your info. However, Santa never writes back. The BBB said at the very least you lost an Andrew Jackson to cyber cons, and at the worst you’ve opened yourself up to identity theft. You can read the whole story here.
5. Email ‘Oops’ Shows Social Security Numbers
An employee for a local office of the Vermont Department for Children and Family Services inadvertently disclosed Social Security numbers of 66 Newport-area foster parents in an email attachment. The Caledonian Record reports the email attachment was sent Nov. 7. Department Commissioner Ken Schatz said Friday the email was recalled the same day, and five days later, Newport district director Suzanne Shibley sent an email to the 34 addresses apologizing for the error. She instructed the recipients to hard-delete the email so it can’t be recovered from deleted mail boxes. The accident and employee responsible are still under investigation, but so far nothing has happened as a result of the slip.
6. City’s Email Server Hacked 17 Times Following The Termination of Employee
After former Parish Attorney Mary Roper was fired, someone began hacking into the parish’s Email server. An investigation was launched when Assistant Parish Attorney Dawn Guillot’s Email had been accessed by an unauthorized user. Investigators were able to track the IP address of the user, and traced it back to Mary Roper’s home computer. It was then discovered the parish’s server had been accessed an additional 17 times from that location. The investigation is still ongoing; you can read more about it here.
7. Hacktivist Group Targets Swedish Emails
The Internet hacktivist group “Anonymous” targeted Swedish official’s email accounts following the seizure of the popular torrenting site The Pirate Bay. Additionally, Swedish Internet giant Telia was attacked. Their online services were affected as well as individual user connections, likely stemming from a full-scale DDoS against the servers. The group left a message for all those affected: “Warning: Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year to all!! Bye :*” Read more about the story here.
8. Man’s Amazon Emails Going To The Wrong Person
“Hello -DefaultName-! Thank you for your purchase of -GenericItem-!” We all get these after our purchases from online retail giant Amazon. However, how often do we receive them from purchases we didn’t make? That’s the case for one fellow, who began receiving purchase confirmation Emails linked to an account that wasn’t his. It all started in September when he received a download receipt of the app Mythology Slots – Vegas Free Slot Machines Casino. Since then, he has been sent other receipts such as for Angry Birds – Transformers, Jackpot Party Slots HD, and the digital purchase of Five Night’s at Freddie’s. Apparently, the person hasn’t noticed a problem, and our unfortunate guy hasn’t been able to get Amazon to fix the problem. Read more about this here.
9. Prepare to Receive Emails From… Your Refrigerator?
According to Emma, an Email marketing software and services provider, 2015 will see the “Internet of everything.” The era of the connected digital device will move beyond wearable fitness devices—where everything from our cars to our microwave ovens to our pets’ flea collar will become an integrated part of our digital lives. You can read more about Emma’s predictions here.
10. Waterloo Resident Uncovers Flaws in Enbridge’s Line 9 Reversal Pipeline
A concerned Waterloo resident is sounding the alarm over statements made in an Email which seem to criticize the public’s ability to ask questions at pipeline hearings. The NEB’s Hearing Manager for Oil Pipeline Applications told colleagues about the “successes” of a recently concluded Line 9A pipeline hearing in the summer of 2012. “Having only final oral argument and no cross examination worked well in this case,” wrote the NEB manager, “due to the highly technical issues regarding engineering and integrity.” Louisette Lanteigne, the citizen who discovered the Email, found the manager’s comment hard to stomach. “They undermine the intelligence of the public. Because they assume we don’t understand basic engineering,” she said. You can read more about this here.
And there you have it, ten of the most talked about stories of 2014 where Email made some waves. If you would like to read more about Email marketing and similar topics, feel free to visit our website. Additionally, we welcome you to contact us with any questions you may have.
