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Tech companies such as Apple, Alphabet duped into providing sensitive personal info

Major technology companies such as Apple and Alphabet have been duped into providing sensitive personal information about their customers in response to fraudulent legal requests, according to  Bloomberg.

The article — quoting four federal law enforcement officials and two industry investigators — says the data has been used to harass and even sexually extort minors.

From Bloomberg: The exact method of the attacks varies, but they tend to follow a general pattern, according to the law enforcement officers. It starts with the perpetrator compromising the email system of a foreign law enforcement agency.

Then, the attacker will forge an “emergency data request” to a technology company, seeking information about a user’s account, the officers said. Such requests are used by law enforcement to obtain information amount online accounts in cases involving imminent danger such as suicide, murder or abductions […]

The data provided varies by companies, but generally includes the name, IP address, email address and physical address. Some companies provide more data.

Dennis Sellers
the authorDennis Sellers
Dennis Sellers is the editor/publisher of Apple World Today. He’s been an “Apple journalist” since 1995 (starting with the first big Apple news site, MacCentral). He loves to read, run, play sports, and watch movies.