In lieu of past cyber fraud, Microsoft has recently made improvements and updates to their Xbox LIVE security protocols.

On Microsoft's online forum, General Manager Alex Garden posted a statement in regards to the stricter security measures that are currently being undertaken.

"We've increased notications to members whose accounts may be compromised to add proofs, update their passwords, and, if necessary, contact Xbox support.  This helps our team lock down an account quickly, investigate and restore the account to the rightful owner," stated the Xbox LIVE General Manager. 

"Most importantly, many of our security enhancements and recovery processes are dependent on our members having valid, up-to-date security information in place," Garden continued. 

In terms of preventing future phishing scams, Garden said the following:

"I encourage everyone to take five minutes today to check your security information and update it if necessary. If you have any lost or stolen security proofs, update them now to prevent any interruptions to your Xbox LIVE service in the future," he said.

 "The organized groups of criminals involved do not care about the time or expense experienced by individuals they've attacked; or the billions in currency global companies and financial institutions absorb each year from their illegal activities.  In the end, all of us pay a high price for online fraud," Gardner closed.

It is also interesting to note that "password" and "12345" are two of the most commonly used passwords, according to Xbox LIVE.