Computer industry security experts believe they have discovered a vulnerability in certain high-speed modems manufactured by Alcatel, the French communications equipment giant. Though only theoretical so far, the problem makes the devices potentially vulnerable to malicious hacker attacks.
Computer industry security experts believe they have discovered a vulnerability in certain high-speed modems manufactured by Alcatel, the French communications equipment giant. Though only theoretical so far, the problem makes the devices potentially vulnerable to malicious hacker attacks.

The security problems could allow a hacker to bypass people's passwords and alter the devices, rendering the modems temporarily or permanently unusable, researchers said. A hacker also could potentially install code to gather unencrypted credit card information or read unencrypted e-mail messages, investigators said.

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