Microsoft's 'Major Nelson' Suffers Xbox Live Account Theft

A Microsoft representative confirmed that a group of hackers gained temporary control of the Xbox Live Account owned by Larry Hryb, the Xbox Live programming director who goes by the online handle "Major Nelson." The account hijacking was committed this past weekend by a three-member group alternatively going by the names "LiGHTzz" and "Fear™." While Hryb was attending the inaugural PAX East video game convention in Boston, the group gained control of his "Major Nelson" account, changed a number of details, claimed responsibility, and uploaded a video to its official site demonstrating account access. Earlier today, Microsoft's policy and enforcement director for Xbox Live, Stephen Toulouse, made a series of Twitter posts confirming Hryb's access had been restored and assuring Xbox Live users the attack was localized specifically to Hryb. In its responsibility-claiming video, the group claims to offer a $60 service to hack any Xbox Live account. Also in the video, one of the members, "GoDxLiGHTzz," reveals various ways to contact him personally.