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AT&T Leaks Emails Addresses of 114,000 iPad Users

Hugh Pickens writes "Daily Tech reports that in what is one of the biggest leaks of email addresses in recent history, a group called Goatse Security has published the personal email addresses of 114,067 iPad 3G purchasers in what appears to be a legal fashion by querying a public interface that AT&T accidentally left exposed. Apparently AT&T left a script on its public website, which when handed an ICC-ID would respond back with the email address of the subscriber. This apparently was intended for an AJAX-style response inside AT&T's web apps. Gawker reports that it's possible that confidential information about every iPad 3G owner in the US has been exposed. 'This is going to hurt the telecommunications company's already poor image with iPhone and iPad customers, and complicate its very profitable relationship with Apple,' writes Ryan Tate, adding that the leak is likely to unnerve customers thinking of buying iPads that connect to AT&T's cellular network. 'Although the security vulnerability was confined to AT&T servers, Apple bears responsibility for ensuring the privacy of its users, who must provide the company with their email addresses to activate their iPads.' In a statement, AT&T says that the issue was escalated to the highest levels of the company and that it has essentially turned off the feature that provided the email addresses. 'We are continuing to investigate and will inform all customers whose email addresses and ICC IDS may have been obtained,' says AT&T. 'We take customer privacy very seriously and while we have fixed this problem, we apologize to our customers who were impacted.'"

19 of 284 comments (clear)

  1. Bad joke by girlintraining · · Score: 5, Funny

    Wait, the iPad suffered a leak? That's why you always buy pads with wings. (groan)

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    #fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
    1. Re:Bad joke by aliquis · · Score: 2, Funny

      .. or well, scrap the later part, I'm trying to find what the law actually says over at datainspektionen but it's hard to find anything relevant to the security of storing or sharing the personal data. I don't wanna claim too much in case it's not true :/

    2. Re:Bad joke by L4t3r4lu5 · · Score: 2, Funny

      There is no way, not in a month of Sundays, that I will ever click on a link containing the words "goatse" "tubgirl" or "lemonparty"

      They might as well have called themselves "We Publish Snuff Videos Security Group."

      --
      Finally had enough. Come see us over at https://soylentnews.org/
    3. Re:Bad joke by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      It is not so bad if you disable javascript first - and it helps if you're blind..

  2. Goatse? Really? by ewoods · · Score: 5, Funny

    Ok, "goatse" in a story, followed by a link... Is anyone really going to click it without hesitation?

  3. Goatse Security by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Who is in charge of that? Ben Dover?

  4. Re:Goatse? Really? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    What's even better is that the first 3 words of the headline are "AT&T's Gaping Hole".

  5. Re:Goatse? Really? by TinBromide · · Score: 2, Funny

    What's even better is that the first 3 words of the headline are "AT&T's Gaping Hole".

    Well, I was rather amused by the fact that "Goatse" "Leaked" something from said "Gaping Hole," I suppose that if you spend all your time playing with your "gaping hole," then something is eventually going to leak.

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    Is it sad that I am more likely to recognize you and your posts by your sig than your name or UID?
  6. Re:Goatse? Really? by mavasplode · · Score: 4, Funny
    FTA:

    Apple CEO Steve Jobs surely won't rest until AT&T's gaping hole is filled,

    nuff said

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    ACTUAL SIZE!!!
  7. Re:Goatse Security by SolidAltar · · Score: 5, Funny

    The funniest part of this entire story is that news organizations are either completely clueless as to what Goatse is, or refuse to mention it.

    But some people are going to google it anyway.

    The person who leaked this is a true internet superhero.

  8. No way. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    The last thing that comes to my mind when I think goatse is security. That guy can't secure shit.
    And trust me, I've thought about alot of things while viewing / thinking of goatse..And security was definitely the last because I read an article about it on some site.

  9. Re:Goatse Security by Titoxd · · Score: 5, Funny

    Goatse Security: We will show you every gaping hole in your security!

  10. You are more right than you know. by tak+amalak · · Score: 5, Funny

    anyone with half a brain has a droid anyway.

    Couldn't have said it better myself.

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    Don't lead me into temptation... I can find it myself.
  11. Re:Goatse Security by cosm · · Score: 5, Funny
    I willing to bet the writers / editors of the dailytech story knew exactly the wide open possibilities of this exploit's verbiage flexibility, FTA:

    The title:

    AT&T's Gaping Hole Exposes...

    and

    ... before reporting this gaping hole to AT&T...

    and this gem:

    Apple CEO Steve Jobs surely won't rest until AT&T's gaping hole is filled

    Goatse FTW.

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    'We are trying to prove ourselves wrong as quickly as possible, because only in that way can we find progress.' RPF
  12. Re:Goatse Security by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Goatse Security: We will show you every gaping hole in your security!

    "That guy who leaked 114,000 emails? What a big asshole!"

  13. Re:MSNBC Investigates Goatse by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I just hope Matt Lauer is wise enough not to look too deep.

    I see what you did there.

    I just wish I could unsee it.

  14. Corporate-speak by Stiletto · · Score: 4, Funny

    'We are continuing to investigate and will inform all customers whose email addresses and ICC IDS may have been obtained,' says AT&T. 'We take customer privacy very seriously and while we have fixed this problem, we apologize to our customers who were impacted.'"

    A classic textbook non-response from a corporation's P.R. machine. A guide, for those unfamiliar with the terminology:

      * "We continue to..." / "We are continuing..." - Translation: We're not doing a thing

      * "investigate" - Translation: To lawyer-up and get paperwork straight for a lawsuit

      * "may have" - Translation: "did"

      * "been obtained" - Translation: given out by us through incompetence

      * "We take XYZ very seriously" - Translation: It only comes up in meetings when emergencies happen

      * "we have fixed this problem" - Translation: We fired the employees who told us this problem would happen

      * "we apologize" - Translation: We admit no legal wrongdoing

      * "customers who were impacted" - people who paid us for the pleasure of a good corporate rogering

    Why anyone even reads press releases by companies anymore, one can only guess. You'll hear those catch phrases in every one.

  15. Re:Goatse? Really? by SeaFox · · Score: 2, Funny

    Perhaps we shouldn't spread the story too widely until we have the hole truth. /ducks

  16. Re:Goatse? Really? by dakameleon · · Score: 2, Funny

    What has the world come to?

    /b/

    'nuff said.

    --
    Man who leaps off cliff jumps to conclusion.