Brian Womack

Verizon Communications is close to a renegotiated deal for Yahoo! Inc.’s internet properties that would reduce the price of the $4.8 billion agreement by about $250 million after the revelation of security breaches at the web company, apparently. In addition to the discount, Verizon and the entity that remains of Yahoo after the deal, to be renamed Altaba Inc., are expected to share any ongoing legal responsibilities related to the breaches, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private information. An announcement of the new agreement could come in a matter of days or weeks.

Verizon Communications is exploring a price cut or possible exit from its $4.83 billion pending acquisition of Yahoo!, after the company reported a second major e-mail hack affecting as many as 1 billion users, apparently. While a Verizon group led by AOL Chief Executive Officer Tim Armstrong is still focused on integration planning to get Yahoo up and running, another team, walled off from the rest, is reviewing the breach disclosures and the company’s options, apparently.

Yahoo demanded more transparency from the federal government after reports surfaced saying the company had built a software program to scan customers’ incoming e-mails for US intelligence agencies.

Yahoo, in a letter to ­James Clapper, the director of National Intelligence, “is formally urging that the U.S. government provide its citizens with clarification around national security orders they issue to internet companies to obtain user data,” the company said. “While the letter makes specific reference to recent allegations against Yahoo, it is intended to set a stronger precedent of transparency for our users and all citizens who could be affected by government requests for user data.”