Apple In. (NASDAQ:AAPL) said today that knows about “intermittent organized network attacks” on iCloud users, according to Dow Jones (as reported by CNBC). The company also said, however, that the hackers have not compromised its servers.
Apple’s latest iCloud attack
Today’s iCloud attacks are just the latest in what’s shaping up to be a string of them. Apple said that the attacks are not affecting signing into iCloud on Macs that are running the newest versions of its OS X operating system.
Dow Jones reports that Apple’s disclosure does not specifically mention China, so it’s unclear whether this is a reference to the previously reported cyber-attacks on iCloud there or if these attacks are different.
Apple’s iCloud attacked in China
As was reported on Monday, anti-censorship watchdog group GreatFire.org accused the Chinese government of orchestrating cyber-attacks on iCloud in China. Officials allegedly used what are known as “man-in-the-middle” style attacks in an attempt to steal users’ passwords, email addresses, photos, contacts and usernames. This type of attack involves intercepting users’ communication with iCloud.
GreatFire also reported a similar attack against Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG) services in China as well. The organization recommended that web users in China be careful about which browser they use. It said that some web browsers give a warning before users load iCloud, but others like the Qihoo 360 browser, which is supposed to be secure, don’t.
There are speculations that if the Chinese government really was involved in the recent iCloud attacks, it might have something to do with the political unrest that’s going on in Hong Kong. GreatFire also noted that the timing of the attacks coincided with the launch of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in China.
Past iCloud problems
Last month, Apple had to deal with angry celebrities whose nude photos were stolen from their iCloud accounts in what’s now known as “the Fappening.” Apple said afterward that it was not responsible for the leaking of the photos. The company then began working to tighten iCloud security even further. Apple CEO Tim Cook said they would add more security alerts to keep iCloud users informed in the event that their accounts are compromised.
