Apple says it’s not responsible for the apparent hacking of individual iCloud accounts.
Hackers have stolen nude pictures of swimsuit model Kate Upton, actress Kirsten Dunst and possibly dozens of other celebrities in an apparent breach of security.
The security breach is likely to impact the iPhone 6 launch on 9 September – ahead of the U.S. holiday season.
Apple said intimate photos of celebrities including Oscar-winner Jennifer Lawrence were leaked online through the apparent hacking of individual iCloud accounts.
Apple official statement
We wanted to provide an update to our investigation into the theft of photos of certain celebrities. When we learned of the theft, we were outraged and immediately mobilized Apple’s engineers to discover the source. Our customers’ privacy and security are of utmost importance to us.
After more than 40 hours of investigation, we have discovered that certain celebrity accounts were compromised by a very targeted attack on user names, passwords and security questions, a practice that has become all too common on the Internet.
None of the cases we have investigated has resulted from any breach in any of Apple’s systems including iCloud or Find my iPhone. We are continuing to work with law enforcement to help identify the criminals involved.
To protect against this type of attack, we advise all users to always use a strong password and enable two-step verification.
Apple rushed to restore confidence in its systems’ security, saying the celebrity photo scandal was the result of targeted attacks on accounts storing personal data and not a direct breach of Apple systems, said a Reuters report.
“We have discovered that certain celebrity accounts were compromised by a very targeted attack on user names, passwords and security questions, a practice that has become all too common on the Internet,” Apple said in a statement.
“None of the cases we have investigated has resulted from any breach in any of Apple’s systems including iCloud or Find My iPhone.”
Apple iCloud service allows users to store photos and other content and access it from any Apple device.
The security breach raises questions mark about the security in the cloud.
Meanwhile, the FBI said it is addressing the celebrity photo hacking.
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