UPDATE: Apple has now confirmed it is investigating the reports. A spokesperson said: “We take user privacy very seriously and are actively investigating this report.”
Original story continues below…
Apple has issued a fix for a security flaw in its Find My iPhone app, amid suggestions the exploit could have allowed hackers to gain access to hundreds of celebrities’ iCloud accounts.
On Monday Apple patched the software, which allows users to locate errant iOS and Mac OS X devices on a map, and remote wipe them in the event of theft.
The fix comes as explicit photos and videos allegedly stolen from the personal accounts of a host of illustrious female actresses and singers were reportedly posted across the internet on Monday.
Those who have reportedly been affected by the invasion include Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Upton, Rihanna, Selena Gomez and Kirsten Dunst.
The method exploited a flaw on the Find My iPhone sign-in page that allowed hackers to gain access by flooding the page with unlimited login attempts, without being locked out.
Apple has now fixed the issue, according to Zdnet, which says such brute force attempts are now locking out those attempting to gain access.
It is currently unknown whether the flaw and the celebrity leaks are linked. Apple is yet to go on the record regarding the incident, but it sure would be a coincidence if it turned out not to be the case.
If it is confirmed Apple was at fault for the hacks it’ll no serious damage to its reputation while severely shaking the trust of users who routinely use such cloud services to store personal information.
Read more: Apple iPhone 5S review
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
