iCloud accounts hacked and personal information leaked
A popular data-saving program that has more than 125 million users has been hacked.
The program, iCloud, stores Apple users private information.
This week, once very private celebrity photos continue to be leaked on the internet.
It could be affecting those in Mid-Missouri as well.
Late Tuesday afternoon, Apple announced that there was not a general breach in the iCloud system.
Regardless, celebrity iCloud accounts have been hacked.
ABC 17 News went to a local computer expert who explained how this all could happen and if those with Apple products are at risk.
“If there is an internet connection to your device, there is a way for information to be shared to the rest of the world, essentially,” said Nathan Canfield, owner of Nate’s Computer Repair in Columbia.
In the case of dozens of celebrities, the world just got a glimpse of their private reality.
“Once you get into somebody’s iCloud you can get at that point their contacts, calendar events, and email. From email it goes even further, you can then go reset passwords on bank accounts any kind of service they might have,” said Canfield.
So if you weren’t worried about pictures certainly email and calendar dates are a privacy concern.
“This is the worst kind of hack because when somebody has hacked it like this they have your password and if they haven’t made any alterations or changes you wouldn’t know they have your password.” said Canfield.
The best thing to do whether you have been hacked or not is to change your password.
While changing your password again may be bothersome experts recommend making a longer password than usual.
“We recommend 14 characters or less, that is virtually unhackable.” said Canfield.
Experts originally thought these hackers were able to get into the celebrity iCloud accounts through their find my iphone app.
With that app, it was possible to enter in as many passwords as possible.
That since has changed and Apple is denying that is in fact how hackers got in.
