Hackers claim to have 12m Apple users’ details

A hacker group has claimed to have obtained personal data from 12m Apple iPhone and iPad users by breaching an FBI computer, raising concerns about US government tracking.

The group called AntiSec, linked to the hacking collective known as Anonymous, posted 1m Apple user identifiers claimed to be part of a larger group of 12m, purportedly obtained from an FBI laptop.

FBI spokeswoman Jenny Shearer said: “We’re not commenting.” Apple also refused to comment.

Peter Kruse, who is an e-crime specialist with CSIS Security Group in Denmark, tweeted that the leak was “real” and that he confirmed three of his own devices in the leaked data.

“Also notice that they claim to have full name, addresses, phone numbers etc... big ouch!” he said on his account.

In a statement published online, the group said it had published the information to bring attention to the FBI apparently using the details to track Americans.

Eric Hemmendinger, a security expert with Tata Communications, said the report raised concerns about the protectors of cyber-security.

He said that based on past reports from Anonymous and related groups, he believed the report was true.

“If you work in cyber-security and your machine gets hacked, that’s a pretty embarrassing scenario.”

Social media and news blogs were aflutter with the news. The tech blog Geekosystem called it “one of the worst privacy disasters yet” and various Twitter comments said the news suggested the FBI was tracking Apple users.

One website set up a database to help users determine if their device was on the hacked list of Apple unique device IDs. Johannes Ullrich of the Sans Internet Storm Centre said it was difficult to verify the report.