Apple Inc said its iCloud service wasn’t breached by hackers who posted nude pictures of celebrities, as the company works to deflect questions about the security of its systems.
Photos from the celebrities were stolen individually, the company said. The celebrity accounts were “compromised by a very targeted attack on user names, passwords and security questions, a practice that is all too common on the Internet,” the Cupertino, California-based company said in a statement today.
Apple is working to quiet a firestorm about the hacked celebrity accounts, with nude photos of actress Jennifer Lawrence and others surfacing over the last few days on the internet, allegedly obtained by hackers who used the company’s iCloud service to illegally access files.
The reports threatened to mar Apple’s event on September 9th, where the company is set to unveil new iPhones, a wearable device and a mobile-payments system, people with knowledge of the matter have said.
The incidents spurred the US Federal Bureau of Investigation to release a statement yesterday saying the agency is aware of the allegations “concerning computer intrusions and the unlawful release of material involving high profile individuals.”
The agency is “addressing the matter,” Laura Eimiller, an FBI spokeswoman in Los Angeles, said by e-mail.
Not responsible
The iCloud service is a key part of Apple’s strategy to unite its iPhones, tablets and desktop computers, letting users store contacts, e-mails, photos and other personal information on external systems they can access.
Apple said in its statement today that a flaw with iCloud, the service used for storing photos, contacts, e-mail and other information, wasn’t responsible, nor was its “Find my iPhone” feature.
“When we learned of the theft, we were outraged and immediately mobilized Apple’s engineers to discover the source,” Apple said. “Our customers’ privacy and security are of utmost importance to us.”
The company said it is working with law enforcement to identify the perpetrators of the hacks. Apple is also encouraging people to use stronger passwords. – Bloomberg
