Hackers breach FBI data, leak 1 million Apple device IDs
05 Sep 2012
In what could be the 'mother of all data breaches', hackers on Monday posted online 1 million identification numbers for Apple iPhones, iPads and iPod Touchs, which they claim they stole from the FBI.
What could be worse, they claim to be in possession of 11 million more Apple device IDs many complete details such as full user names, addresses and telephone numbers.
An unknown writer who claimed affiliation with the anti-government hacktivist group AntiSec posted on Pastebin, "Why exposing [sic] this personal data?"
"Well, we have learnt it seems quite clear nobody pays attention if you just come and say 'Hey, FBI is using your device details and info and who the [expletive] knows what the hell are they experimenting with that," well sorry, but nobody will care."
According to analysts, users of the 1 million affected devices are probably not in any danger of identity theft or account takeovers, but they would probably like to know why the FBI apparently had their device IDs on file.
Apple unique device identification numbers (UDIDs) establish a single iOS device's identity in the Apple ecosystem, and allows iTunes and app developers discover which device was running what and also locked iOS devices into installing only software from the iTunes App Store, and let game developers keep track of each user's high score.
