Hardware
AT&T Data Breach Exposes Data of iPad Users
The Internet was a-broiling late yesterday with news that a data breach at AT&T had exposed the data of 114,000 iPad users. The breach involved the users’ email addresses that were exposed with the ID of the phone known as the ICC-ID. AT&T of course when to great pains to say that the breach had been closed, but the story gathered legs when some of the email addresses that were revealed included celebrities, military and government officials including the White House Chief of Staff.
AT&T also took great pains to say that only the ICC-ID and email address were exposed, but obviously the incident calls AT&T’s security into question for many. The problem was exposed by a group called Goatse Security who notified AT&T.
AT&T is used to taking lumps these days and of course this is another big one. Despite AT&T’s explanations the New York Times is quoting a security expert that “users should be worried a lot” given that the security lapse could lead to other info being divulged including the iPad’s location.
Early reports of this, including Gawker’s initial posting jumped all over Apple for the problem (remember Gawker is the company that owns Gizmodo, the site that purchased the “stolen” iPhone) but Apple seems to be letting AT&T fight the gathering storm and hasn’t commented publicly yet.
Via Gawker
aftermath
06/11/2010 at 8:39 am
It’s hard for me not to feel like this analysis is over-compartmentalized. The implication here is that it’s AT&T’s fault that it provides service for the iPad. Where’s Apple’s share of the blame in picking and sticking with such an incompetent company?
Currently, when an OEM releases two ultra-portables, one based on AMD and one based on Intel, the reviews are predictable. The Intel one is praised for its better battery life, and the AMD one goes accordingly unrecommended. To me, this heaps further shame on Apple for its exclusive embrace of AT&T (in America). Even before Apple got involved, AT&T was probably the worst run and most often despised of the Telecos. Apple’s decision to be AT&T-only is just like ruining an otherwise great ultraportable by sticking an AMD platform inside, and anybody who whines about AT&T after buying an Apple product is like somebody who whines about battery life after buying an AMD-based laptop. Yes, AT&T needs to get its act together, but I think people also need to start holding Apple accountable, and voting with their dollars, for slathering such a horrible customer experience on their mobile offerings by sticking with AT&T. It’s almost it’s as if there’s a special financial arrangement going on there (wink, wink), one that implies that money is more important than things like quality of service to the customer and security of the customer’s personal information.