Ashley Madison users ‘terrified,’ lawsuits emerge. ‘pornography industry’ concerned

The adultery-promoting Ashley Madison breach remains in the news with user reportedly terrified:

Ashley Madison accused of failing to communicate with its terrified customers

August 24, 2015

Ashley Madison customers have received almost no direct assistance or support from the company after a hack that leaked more than 30 million users’ highly compromising personal information online, according to security expert Troy Hunt.

In the week since the release of the data, which includes financial information, email addresses, physical descriptions, and detailed sexual preferences, Hunt has been inundated with requests for information and help from Ashley Madison users. This is because he operates HaveIBeenPwned.com, a website that allows people to see whether their account was compromised in the Ashley Madison hack (as well as cross-referencing with more than 50 other previous major hacks).

In a blog post detailing the sorts of emails he has been receiving from users, he says “there has been almost no direct communication with members that I’m aware of.” According to one anonymous customer he quotes, the company isn’t “answering phones or responding to emails.”

Ashley Madison members have already started receiving emails attempting to extort them for bitcoin, and given how relatively easy it is to find the data online, these attempts are likely to continue for years.

There are also 15,000 US military and governmental email addresses in the hack. Even assuming that a large proportion of these are fake, it still means that thousands of members with sensitive jobs have potentially been badly compromised by the leak. Foreign intelligence agencies are probably already “digging” through the data and considering how it can be used to leverage the people named within it, one cybersecurity executive told The Hill.

But despite all this, there is not a single mention of the devastating hack on Ashley Madison’s homepage, and visitors are greeted with the promise of “100% discreet service.” http://uk.businessinsider.com/ashley-madison-not-communicating-with-customers-troy-hunt-2015-8#ixzz3jjwkzqFF

August 24, 2015

Indeed, security blogger Brian Krebs reported last week that spam emails demanding Bitcoin payments were targeting email addresses found in the Ashley Madison data.

Data damage

Although the implications of the data’s release are still to be determined, some commentators are already pointing out that they could be far-reaching.

Two law firms have launched a class action lawsuit against Ashley Madison in recent days, and it is possible that the plaintiffs would seek to use information from the chief executive’s leaked emails to help build a case, according to Mark Watts, head of data protection at London law firm Bristows. http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-34041039

Ashley Madison hack sends shivers through hook-up, porn sites

August 24, 2015

“Don’t do or say anything you wouldn’t want to read about on the front page of the New York Times,” said the founder of Hustler magazine and owner of businesses that sell sexually explicit videos online.

It might be too late for many people who, lured by a supposed cloak of digital anonymity, have shared their innermost wishes, fetishes and fantasies on hook-up and porn sites. And those companies know that their digital troves of secrets are exactly what make them a target for emboldened hackers.

In exposing the Ashley Madison accounts of as many as 37 million users, hackers released a cache of potentially embarrassing and damaging data. The dump contained email addresses for U.S. government officials, UK civil servants, and workers at European and North American corporations, taking already deep-seated fears about Internet security and data protection to a new level.

“This represents a scary precedent” because of the scope and depth of intrusion into people’s private lives, said Ajay Sood, Canada general manager at cyber security company FireEye/Mandiant. “Ashley Madison wasn’t the first, but it’s the one.”

The data dump made good on the hackers’ threat last month to leak customers’ nude photos, sexual fantasies, names and credit card information from the Canadian website with the slogan, “Life is short. Have an affair.” …

The online sex industry has long been aware it is more vulnerable to a cyber attack than most companies because some people find it offensive. It also thrives on ensuring privacy. …

Angel, 34, who has starred in and directed hundreds of films, believes she has robust security on her website, but worries it may not be enough to ward off ever-more sophisticated hackers. …

Flynt, who fought in the courts for freedom of speech, said anyone surprised at the invasion of people’s privacy is naive.

“Privacy no longer exists,” he said, “and it hasn’t for some time.” http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/24/us-ashleymadison-cybersecurity-idUSKCN0QT0DF20150824

August 24, 2015

Canadian officials are bracing for long-term fallout from the unauthorized release of user data from the adultery website Ashley Madison, they said at a news conference on Monday.

Bryce Evans, the acting staff superintendent of the Toronto Police Service, detailed the investigation into hackers’ attack last week on Canada-based Avid Life Media, which owns Ashley Madison and Established Men, a website for wealthy men looking to date young women.

Mr. Evans characterized the hack, carried out by a group that calls itself the Impact Team, as “one of the largest data breaches in the world.” The 9.7 gigabytes of information released by the hackers included credit card information, names, billing details and home addresses. Mr. Evans said the hacking had already resulted in spinoff crimes, including attempts to extort Ashley Madison users whose identities had been leaked. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/25/technology/after-ashley-madison-hack-police-in-toronto-detail-a-global-fallout.html?_r=0

We now have a new video related to Ashley Madison available titled: Ashley Madison: Your Sins Will Find You Out.

Many hope that they can engage in sexual immorality and not pay a price. This is wrong and delusional.

The Apostle Paul wrote:

18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. (1 Corinthians 6:18)

Pornography and adultery are wrong.

Jesus condemned lust:

27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matthew 5:27-28)

Notice something else that Jesus taught:

19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God. (John 3:19-21)

Adulterers and pornography purveyors do not want their deeds exposed and they love darkness and not the light of truth. Notice the following which would seemingly apply to purveyors of pornography:

2 You lust and do not have. (James 4:2)

16 For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world. (1 John 2:16)

The Bible recognizes that adulterers hope to operate secretly:

15 The eye of the adulterer waits for the twilight, saying, ‘No eye will see me’; and he disguises his face (Job 24:15).

The Bible says punishment will come:

7 Yet they say, “The Lord does not see,
Nor does the God of Jacob understand.”

23 He has brought on them their own iniquity,
And shall cut them off in their own wickedness;
The Lord our God shall cut them off. (Psalms 94:2-3,7,23)

23… your sin will find you out (Numbers 32:23).

32 Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; He who does so destroys his own soul. (Proverbs 6:32)

10… For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. (Romans 14:11)

7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, (Galatians 6:7-8).

No one should participate in sexual immorality or promote it. The Bible teaches that there are consequences. “Your sin will find you out.”

If you are involved in adultery or pornography and hope to be a Christians, stop sinning. Do not trust in darkness. Consider that the New Testament teaches:

3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:3-6)

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. 14 Therefore He says:

“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.” (Ephesians 5:8-14)

5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:5-9)

If you have been walking in darkness, do not live in terror, repent.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Ashley Madison: Your Sins Will Find You Out The pro-adultery ‘Ashely Madison’ website was hacked and information released on many of its claimed 37 million registered members. Ashley Madison claimed that ‘life is short, so have an affair’ and that it was confidential. NBC offered tips for those whose identities are being released. What does the Bible teach about adultery or even seriously considering it? Is adultery wicked? The Bible warns that in the last times people will be inventors of evil things and whisperers like Ashley Madison promotes. Is adultery grounds for divorce? What did Jesus teach about this? This is a video.
Pornography: A scourge on society Is pornography harmless fun? Does the Bible teach anything about it? What are the views of some involved with it? Here is a link to a YouTube video Pornography: Harmless Fun or a Scourge on Society?
Making Your Marriage Work Marriage is not also easy, but it pictures a divine relationship. How can you make your marriage work? Here is a link to the video sermon: You Can Make YOUR Marriage Work.
Here’s the Plain Truth About OLD TESTAMENT POLYGAMY by Herbert Armstrong. Here is a related article in the Spanish language: ¿Es la poligamia una senda de Dios?
Love, Marriage, and Sex It is important to get them in the right order.
Husbands Love Your Wives An article written by the late Selmer Hegvold.
The Bible Condemns Homosexuality “Same-sex marriage” for “gays” and lesbians is becoming more acceptable to many. What does the Bible teach about homosexuality? Can homosexuals change? A related video sermon is titled What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality?
Five Rules for Effective Parenting Do you know that there are five simple rules that can make you a more effective parent? There is also a 12 1/2 minute YouTube video on this, also titled Five Rules for Effective Parenting.
What Psychologists do not Know About Child Rearing This is an article by Herbert Armstrong that was used as the introduction to the pdf booklet The Plain Truth About Child Rearing.
The Plain Truth About Child Rearing This is a pdf booklet that the old WCG put out.
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught? For a more detailed discussion of the first four commandments, please see the video The Ten Commandments: Loving God. For a more detailed discussion of the last six commandments, please see: The Ten Commandments: Loving Your Neighbor. Here is a link to a related article in Mandarin Chinese 十条诫命显示爱，违反诫命的就是邪恶的
 Was the Commandment to Love the Only Command? Some have stated that John’s writings teach this, but is that what the Bible really says?
The Ten Commandments and the Early Church Did Jesus and the Early Church keep the ten commandments? What order were they in? Here are quotes from the Bible and early writings. A related sermon is titled: Christians and the Ten Commandments.
Just What Do You Mean — Repentance? Do you know what repentance is? Have you truly repented? Repented of what? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject.
When You Sin: Do You Really Repent? This is an article by Charles F. Hunting. A related sermon is Confess to God and truly repent.
Is the USA now an Evil Empire? Dr. Thiel gives many reasons to consider. A related video is also available: Is the USA an Evil Empire?