Cautionary tale of cloud computing disaster

[haven]

http://www.emptyage.com/post/28679875595/yes-i-was-hacked-hard

Apple's iCloud service provides a way to synchronize data o your iPhone, iPad and Mac computer. If control of your account falls into malicious hands, it's possible to delete data on all linked devices.

One interesting aspect of this case is that the hacker didn't run some sort of cracking algorithm to guess the password. He just called Apple support and talked them into giving him the password.

I expect some significant changes to Apple support security as the result of this episode.

 

[RobRed]

The caution in that is to back up your data.

 

[VanIsle_Greg]

The caution in that is to back up your data.

Not to anything Apple related, or at least to multiple places. iFail

This is why I do not believe in or practice a "one solution/vendor/supplier fits all" scenario. I use multiple devices, all with different complex passwords, and many different vendors. Android, Windows, Linux, Server OS etc. I backup to a hard disk array locally at home as well as to the Cloud, but multiple providers, both free and paid. I know too many people who own every device Apple sells, and all are linked via iTunes and the cloud...it is only a matter of time before that whole system has a catastrophic failure of some degree/description.

I feel as secure as anyone... which is still only 60% confident I haven't been exploited in some way.

 

[RobRed]

This isn't the first time something like this has happend and this time it happens to be Apple related. Many example across all platforms.

Complex passwords are great at thwarting brute force but in the end it was social engineering that got it done to Mat. Ask Kevin Mitnick - that was his number one tool.

Looks like his tumblr is down.

 

[haven]

Here's a detailed account of the hacking
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/08/apple-amazon-mat-honan-hacking/all/

And here are some suggestions to make your online life more secure
http://www.zdnet.com/black-cloud-looms-over-apple-online-service-after-high-profile-hack-7000002244/

 

[HillbillyfromAL]

If they are important documents and they are not stored separately and updated regularly then anyone's just asking to lose them. I bet this will be changing some of the rules the Apple customer service reps will have to follow.