BrowserStack, the cross-browser testing tool website, has not had a very good weekend. There was a compromise and a rather odd email was sent to customers.
The email made a number of worrying claims regarding security, and – just to add that little extra dash of panic – was titled “BrowserStack is shutting down”:
Just got this email. Someone at @browserstack is having a very bad day (and prob looking for a new job) pic.twitter.com/uL7o3WS6jy
— Tom Johns (@johnsee) November 10, 2014
Things you don’t want to be Tweeting on a Monday morning:
The hacker’s access was restricted solely to a list of email addresses. We’ll be back up in a few hours. Sincere apologies.
— BrowserStack (@browserstack) November 10, 2014
Ouch.
BrowserStack are currently investigating what happened, and we’ll have to play a waiting game to see if anything else was impacted outside of email addresses.
Christopher Boyd
Automate and Screenshot services are up and running. Live will shortly be up as well. We will email all users with the entire analysis soon. Thank you for your patience.
-Snehal @ BrowserStack
If the claims made in the email are true, I wouldn’t be surprised.
I’ve worked for a number of larger companies with absolutely atrocious security practices.
All BrowserStack services are now up and running. We are keeping a strong check on the system and will email all users the entire analysis.
– Snehal @ BrowserStack
Why lie so flagrantly in your Ts&Cs. You’ve opened yourself up to a thousand pathways for litigation if any of the compromised data ever surfaces again.