http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/23/technology/yahoo-hackers.html 2016-09-22 21:45:43 Yahoo Says Hackers Stole Data on 500 Million Users in 2014 The company said user information was stolen by what it believed was a “state-sponsored actor,” without naming the country. === SAN FRANCISCO — In a statement, Yahoo said user information — including names, email addresses, telephone numbers, birth dates, passwords, and in some cases security questions — was compromised in 2014 by what it believed was a “state-sponsored actor.” It did not name the country involved. The company said it was working with law enforcement officials. It encouraged users to review their online accounts for suspicious activity and to watch out for suspicious emails. The announcement comes as “The stolen Yahoo data is critical because it not only leads to a single system but to users’ connections to their banks, social media profiles, other financial services and users’ friends and family,” said Alex Holden, the founder of Hold Security, which has been tracking the flow of stolen Yahoo credentials on the underground web. “This is one of the biggest breaches of people’s privacy and very far reaching.”