A bug in a customer chat feature shows transcripts of other people's chats.
By Dan Goodin
Verizon is struggling to fix a glitch that has been leaking customers' addresses, phone numbers, account numbers, and other personal information through a chat system that helps prospective subscribers figure out if Fios services are available in their location.
The personal details appear when people click on a link to chat with a Verizon representative. When the chat window opens, it contains transcripts of conversations that other customers, either prospective or current, have had. The transcripts include full names, addresses, phone numbers, account numbers (in the event they already have an account), and various other information. Some of the transcripts viewed by Ars date back to June. A separate Window included customers' addresses, although it wasn't clear who those addresses belonged to.