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Hackers Demand Ransom for Allegedly Stolen iCloud Data

A group of hackers say they have access to millions of iCloud accounts, and will delete them unless Apple pays a $100,000 ransom by April 7.

 & Tom Brant Managing Editor

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A group of hackers claims to have breached Apple's iCloud platform and gained access to hundreds of millions of user accounts. If Apple doesn't pay a ransom, the hackers say they will remotely wipe the accounts.

SecurityWatchThe hackers, who call themselves the "Turkish Crime Family," are asking for $75,000 worth of bitcoin or Ethereum, or $100,000 in iTunes gift cards, Motherboard reported on Wednesday. To encourage Apple to pay, the hackers are seeking publicity by sending screenshots of alleged emails between them and Apple's security team to media outlets.

The hackers are threatening to reset some of the stolen iCloud accounts and remotely wipe victims' devices if Apple doesn't pay by April 7, according to Motherboard, which reported that the hackers didn't share any evidence of millions of hacked iCloud accounts other than a video of them allegedly logging into some of the accounts.

Among the emails provided to Motherboard were a few from Apple's security team, which asked the hackers "to share a sample of the data set" and informed them that "we do not reward cyber criminals for breaking the law."

Although hijacking accounts and demanding ransoms is not uncommon, the Apple extortion is unusual both for the size of the alleged breach and the relatively low ransom amount the hackers are demanding. Recent successful ransomware attacks have targeted lesser-known victims like hospitals and received millions of dollars in ransom payments.

Still, the extortion is a good reminder that even Apple, whose systems thoroughly protect user data, is still a target for hackers seeking ransoms. It's also a good reminder to change the password of your iCloud account and set up two-factor authentication.

About Our Expert

Tom Brant

Tom Brant

Managing Editor

I’m a managing editor at PCMag.com focused on PC hardware. Reading this during the day? Then you've caught me testing gear and editing reviews of Wi-Fi routers, printers, laptops, and tons of other personal tech. (Reading this at night? Then I’m probably dreaming about all those cool products.) I’ve covered the consumer tech world as an editor, reporter, and analyst since 2015.

I've covered most major consumer tech events, including CES, Computex, Google I/O, and IFA. I've also appeared on CBS News, in USA Today, and at many other outlets to offer analysis on breaking technology news.

Before I joined the tech-journalism ranks, I wrote on topics as diverse as Borneo's rainforests, Middle Eastern airlines, and Big Data's role in presidential elections. A graduate of Middlebury College, I also have a master's degree in journalism and French Studies from New York University.

The Technology I Use

While most people buy a phone or laptop and stick with it for years, I’m lucky enough to use devices based on Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows daily as part of my job. As a result, I cycle through lots of tech in addition to my IT-issue work laptop. (Yes, that's a ThinkPad.) Personally, I’ve also owned a lot of tech products both cutting-edge and cringeworthy, from the Nintendo GameCube and the original MacBook to the Palm m105 and the CueCat.

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