Last week, hundreds of pages of the ICQ instant messaging logs were posted on the Web and copied onto various sites, creating the kind of information security breach that has become one of the worst corporate nightmares of the digital age. The logs, which were apparently snatched from a PC used by Sam Jain, CEO of eFront, have nearly paralysed his company and created a personal nightmare for Jain.
"I'm tired of it; I just want to go on with my company," Jain said. "People out there are stalking me, threatening me with death threats...scanning my cell phone frequency."
The logs, which read like transcripts of telephone conversations, include explosive discussions regarding business partners, employees and affiliated Web sites. Whether the files are authentic or not, they've already exposed eFront to embarrassment and could lead to possible legal troubles.
The controversy, which has been the subject of intense scrutiny and debate on various Web sites, including dot-com deadpools and other discussion sites, serves as a fresh reminder of the permanence of seemingly fleeting electronic correspondence.
At the technical core of this particular exposure of an executive's communications is the ability of the ICQ messaging application--a property of AOL Time Warner--to store a log of all incoming and outgoing messages. The feature is not shared by MSN Messenger Service, Yahoo Messenger or AOL Instant Messenger.
As for eFront, hackers have apparently created havoc with the computer systems, possibly by using information contained in the ICQ logs. For example, eFront employees are not using the in-house email server, resorting instead to Web-based email services such as Hotmail "until we can get the security matter resolved," Jain said late Wednesday.
In addition, since the initial posting of Jain's ICQ logs last week, several members of eFront's senior management team have resigned, some strategic partners have publicly distanced themselves from the company, and unhappy Webmasters are aligning to take action against it.
eFront runs a network of affiliate Web sites, which agree to pool traffic as a way to command higher advertising rates. Revenue is shared among all the sites based on the number of page turns they each produce. Many of the messages in the intercepted ICQ log discuss strategies for weathering an industrywide plunge in advertising revenue.
According to Jain, the logs are legitimate but have been "doctored." Several sources whose correspondence or confidential information was included in the logs have confirmed their general authenticity with CNET News.com.
An eFront representative said the issue has been referred to the FBI.
"We are aware of the allegations and we are assessing the situation, but at this time there is no active investigation," said Laura Bosley, a representative for the FBI's Los Angeles field office.
