Posted by Tony Blackham on December 23, 2017 in Website
Update: RootsWeb updates can be found on RootsWeb homepage.
We want to share an important security update with you.
First, for the approximately 55,000 customers who used the same
credentials at RootsWeb’s surname list and Ancestry – whether currently
active or not – we have locked their Ancestry accounts and will require
that they create a new password the next time they visit. We have also
sent them emails to alert them to the situation. Though we have seen no
activity that indicates these accounts have been compromised, we believe
taking this additional measure is the right step to ensure the security
of these customers. If you have not received an email or a notice
requiring you to change your password, you have not been affected.
Again, this issue involves less than one percent of our users, so there
is a very good chance your account wasn’t involved.
Second, we have temporarily taken RootsWeb offline, and are working to ensure that all data is saved and preserved to the best of our ability. As RootsWeb is a free and open community that has been largely built by its users, we may not be able to salvage everything as we work to resolve this issue and enhance the RootsWeb infrastructure.