Slashdot Mirror
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.'"
Wait, the iPad suffered a leak? That's why you always buy pads with wings. (groan)
#fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
Ok, "goatse" in a story, followed by a link... Is anyone really going to click it without hesitation?
What's even better is that the first 3 words of the headline are "AT&T's Gaping Hole".
Apple CEO Steve Jobs surely won't rest until AT&T's gaping hole is filled,
nuff said
ACTUAL SIZE!!!
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.
Goatse Security: We will show you every gaping hole in your security!
Couldn't have said it better myself.
Don't lead me into temptation... I can find it myself.
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.
'We are trying to prove ourselves wrong as quickly as possible, because only in that way can we find progress.' RPF
"That guy who leaked 114,000 emails? What a big asshole!"
'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.