CLEVELAND, Ohio – FirstEnergy has blocked the online accounts of six million customers because of repeated hacking attempts and has told customers they must reset their passwords to regain access.
During a routine security check, FirstEnergy found there were numerous recent “unauthorized attempts to log into customer accounts,” an email sent by the electric company Sunday morning says. While nearly all of the attempts did not work, some were successful.
The login information was “obtained from a source outside of FirstEnergy,” FirstEnergy spokeswoman Jennifer Young said Sunday afternoon. This method is commonly referred to as a password or credential “stuffing,” Young said, which happens when someone gets a list of credentials from one source and tries them on a variety of websites.
FirstEnergy says it does not have any evidence customer information has been misused, but it asks its customers to “remain vigilant.” Additionally, no sensitive customer information, like full bank account or credit card information, is available through online account access, Young said.
Here’s how customers can reset their passwords:
- Go to FirstEnergy’s website
- Click “Log In”
- On the “Log In” page, type your current Username and Password and click “Log In”
- Because your account is locked, you will automatically be redirected to the “Account Locked” page to unlock your account
- Enter the Username and email address associated with your account
- You will receive an email to the address associated with your account with a link to reset your password
- Click on the link at the bottom of the email to reset your password
- You will be taken to the “Reset Password” page and asked to create a new password
FirstEnergy has 10 regulated distribution companies that make up one of the country’s largest investor-owned electric systems, according to its website. It serves millions of customers in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, stretching from the Ohio-Indiana border to New Jersey.
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