Hackers Threaten to Wipe iPhone Data

With Apple and iPhone being such a recognizable name, the company’s flagship product was bound to draw the unwanted attention of hackers. Hackers are the seedier parts of the digital world. Furthermore, most of them look for opportunities to exploit technology for their own personal gain. It is not uncommon to hear about hackers making demands and using their skills to access private data.

A hacker group called the “Turkish Crime Family” recently gained media attention. The oddly-named group claims to have access to various user accounts and threatens to use that information to wipe user iPhone data unless Apple pays a hefty ransom.

The Ransom and Threat

The hacker group is asking for ,000 in Bitcoin or 0,000 in iTunes gift cards. However, some are unsure of the number of accounts the group has access to. They claim to have hundreds of millions in their possession. As a show of force, the Turkish Crime Family revealed 54 accounts.

ZDNet was able to confirm that the accounts are indeed real. No one knows exactly how the hacker group was able to obtain these accounts. Unless Apple pays, they plan to use the account information to access iCloud and remotely erase their data.

Apple Claims iPhone Data Is Safe

Despite the hackers’ forceful demands, Apple is unwilling to give in. Their response is that users accounts are safe. Their statement claims that:

“There have not been any breaches in any of Apple’s systems including iCloud and Apple ID. The alleged list of email addresses and passwords appears to have been obtained from previously compromised third-party services.

We’re actively monitoring to prevent unauthorized access to user accounts and are working with law enforcement to identify the criminals involved. To protect against these type of attacks, we always recommend that users always use strong passwords, not use those same passwords across sites and turn on two-factor authentication.”

How Users Can Protect Their Information

In the event of any breach, real or not, users should stay vigilant. The number of accounts that these hackers claim to have is a lot. As a result, users are taking a risk that their private information can be leaked with others or erased entirely by not doing anything.

What users can do is secure their devices. The first step is to change their iCloud password. Remember, a complex password with capitalizations, symbols, and numbers are harder to crack. Next, update your security settings. Old information is how hackers often gain access to passwords.

The last step you should take is enabling two-factor verification. This security method uses a combination of two components to verify a user’s identity. For Apple, users need their password and a six-digit verification code, which is sent to their most trusted devices, to access their account from a new device.