“Australian Apple device users are finding their iDevices locked by some hacker demanding cash,” Jonny Evans reports for Computerworld. “Here’s how to defend yourself, and what to do if you’ve been hit.”
“There have been several high profile attacks in which passwords and email addresses have been stolen, principally attacks on Adobe and eBay,” Evans reports. “Those who use the same password across several accounts (ebay and iCloud, for example) are vulnerable. If that’s you, then change your password for both accounts immediately. Stop reading this and change them now. (If you use the same passwords on other accounts you should also change those). Use an original password for each account.”
Evans writes, “Apple offers two-step verification for devices. Everyone should use this — iCloud is already a central repository for contact, password, payment and other essential information. This means it makes absolute sense to make iCloud as secure as possible, and that means two-step verification.”
Read more in the full article here.
Related article:
Australian Apple Macs, iPhones, iPads hijacked, digitally held for ransom – May 27, 2014
man, “1234” was so easy to remember.
The IT here that is head of everything actually set up all the computers with the admin password as the name of the department, didn’t even bother with upper and lower case. OMG. Has a password strength check of 10%. Now that I am in charge of just the Macs I’ve been trying to get approval to change that to something stronger but it’s unbelievable how difficult it is to get approval to do so.
If you are in charge don’t get approval, just go ahead and change it, show/explain the benefits/advantages, and see what you get in response.
If you are told to revert your change then you are not in charge.
Yeah, I’ve been thinking about doing that because the current situation worries me. Might tell my supervisor that I’m doing it when upgrade all to Mavericks in mid-June. She can break the news to the main IT, PeeCee weenie guy.
Need to tread lightly, though have been at this place for many years, am relatively new to this particular department.
So are numbers with their own names, like the Hardy-Ramanujan number 1729, and leetspeak like 1337. For James Bond fans, there are three primes ending in 007. And there are 90 palindromes (faster to enter) (none prime).
and in 1971 there was THX1138 — Blessings of the state, blessings of the masses.
Our company makes us change passwords every 90 days. This eliminates the possibility to create a secure password that I can remember. So, as a result of this policy, everyone I know in our company uses Hello1, Hello2, Hello3, etc.
I wish IT would reevaluate their policies and allow us to keep a password forever. Then I could create a 48 character password that I can remember. Should be difficult to hack that.
This sucks about eBay being hacked. Glad my passwords are different!
Depending on how you log in to your system, a password wallet might be your solution. I use 1Password which integrates into all the major web browsers, and into an iPhone/iPad app.
4-3-2-1 is just as easy
Not as easy as “password”…
Or, 00000000
There is no attack.
1 verified person reported this. Only 1.
Sensationalism in this report is all you need to know.
Evans advice is still credible for every OSX/iOS user.
Hey to any of you Anustralian(s) that can read, also holding a stick of dynamite beside an Apple device and detonating the dynamite while you hold the Apple device nearby will also defend against that “Oleg Pliss” attack.
TROLL
He he he he, so what, being a troll is so much better than being a fecal filled Anustralian.
Did you read Derek Curie’s excellent evaluation of what more than likely happened. It really shows the one quality that Anustralians have (not that it’s redeeming or anything like that) and that is making Americans look good.
He he he, ah makes me laugh, that and seen the ones that struggle to create a sentence with more than one word.
HA HA HA…
Fuck you bigoted arsehole
Not if you are Anustralian. Not that they haven’t tried…for years, butt like most things they are incapable of delivering.
They deliver damn good music!
Oh the aboriginals are kewl that’s for sure. Love that digerydoo.
I was thinking more AC/DC and The Easybeats.
I bet no one would guess “ilovewindows” as a password or “ilovesamsung”, “ballmerishot” “samsungishonest” “donoevilgoogle”
“ballmerishot” really? Ballmer is hot? LOL
😛
ballmer, I shot.
UncleFester. It’s been the password of Bill Gates for decades.
Apple is still napping on security as “Jony” is more worried about skinny fonts and pastels on flat graphics to be worried about functionality.
That is what happens when you ask a stylist to do an engineer’s job.
Do you c’n’p the same tedious crap every time?
Please, just eat shit and die.
No, I speak truth to the Fanbois that would gladly ingest snake semen and proclaim it tasty if Apple sold it.
Some of us expect better of Apple than a thinly veiled (iOS7) retread of Windows Mobile. Replace the shitty icons with Tiles and you have Ballmerville.
Jony has tile envy.
Typical nonsense, in terms of the news as well as “Darwin Evolved.” It you’re using the same password for your various online activities, don’t be shocked if someone manages to bypass it at some point, granting them access to every account that uses it.
Has nothing to do with Apple and more to do with silly people.
Egads, you have quite the reptile fantasy going…
No, Apple is not ‘napping’ on security. Apple has made terrific strides in security since I’ve been keeping a close eye on them as of 2007. But if you expect Apple to be perfect, forget it. They’re simply doing a lot better than anyone else, and that includes Linux.
Jony Ives has NOTHING AT ALL to do with Apple security. DUH.
Apple allowed a fashion designer to ruin the UI of iOS. The point was Apple cares more about fashion than function.
As I first iterated below: You’re making a fool of yourself. Maybe all you’re capable to comprehending about Apple is fashion and you have zero comprehension of function.
OR, maybe someone pays you to write this stupid troll drivel. In any case: It’s time you shut up now. You’re wrong.
The tired putdown that Apple is “just” fashion and style, driven by marketing, continues to circulate despite transcendent proof to the contrary, measured in dollars, euros, and yen.
Fashion is ephemeral? — yet Apple reports record sales every quarter.
Therefore, subtract the word “just” from the above statement, and admit that Apple sets the style and dictates the fashion in intimate tech, year after year, just as Versace, Givenchy, or Chanel have done in their turn with haute couture.
I picture recalcitrant engineers, dragged by their ears kicking and screaming, to a future they never expected, one hijacked by artists.
The ignominy…
If only the creative and positive people…
Pure class Hannahjs
Whoever was in charge of changing Labels of color to dots of color should be demoted. Minimizing everything isn’t always better. Coloring the entire text label of a document is useful, putting only a small color dot tag is only semi-useful if you view everything in Icon view. If you use Lists or Columns the dot on the far right becomes completely useless as a visual aid. I hope they allow a choice of dot or entire label in the next upgrade.
I personally miss being able to change the color of the entire folder icon. I end up doing it myself in many cases via the many colored icon sets available on the net.
I’m too enthusiastic about plurals today. Sorry:
Jony IVE has nothing to do with Apple security. DUH.
Seriously Darwin Evolved, you’re making an idiot of yourself.