On 8/08 there was an interesting news article on Bloomberg’s website regarding the Apple password crisis surrounding journalist Mat Honan. Honan’s digital existence was ruined a few days ago when hackers used social engineering tactics against him (for those unfamiliar with the articles, I’ve linked them below).

Anyone who’s ever been to an Apple store knows that convenience is king.

You need help with something? There’s almost always some friendly hipster with a weird haircut to help you. You need your data migrated from one device to another? No problem for these blue shirt gurus! Want your password changed? Sure, answer just a few simple questions that anyone can get…

Wait… what?

Apple previously allowed users to change crucial account details such as one’s password over the phone. Typically most companies handle such changes online and merely talk the customer through a series of secure web pages after confirming their identity by a number of different means. (Recently I had to call Dell and was bumbarded by over 4 different identity-based questions.) Apple’s system allowed for sensitive account changes to be made with a few simple facts about a customer including the last 4 digits of the primary credit card and one’s address!

One with access to another user’s iTunes account, if cloud backups and syncs are enabled, could potentially delete data right out of the air or access important documents which could potentially allow an attacker to access other accounts the user owns.

Other security flaws included the ability to circumvent the AppleID associated with App and iTunes store purchases, compromise iCloud data and more.

That’s exactly what happened to Mat Honan of Wired Magazine. His dilemma is exactly what spawned Apple’s reaction regarding their security flaws: Honan’s entire life was ruined when a hacker – simply interested in taking his Twitter username and causing havoc – gained access to his AppleID, wiped his Apple devices remotely, accessed his other accounts on other services and more.

In response to this crisis, Apple has suspended the option of resetting one’s AppleID password over the telephone as stated in the Bloomberg article linked below. It’s unfortunate that lessons are learned on the backs of paying customers as Honan’s case also dealt with the security failings of Amazon as well as Apple (see links below for further details).

Hopefully these major tech players have learned that sometimes convenience cometh before the fall.

It really is a tragedy that these companies didn’t take security seriously. With more data being stored off-site, on cloud servers, Mat Honan’s story gives us a lot to think about going forward in the digital age.

Sources:
Satariano, Adam. Bloomberg Reporter
Giles, Tom. Bloomberg Editor
Article URL: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-08/apple-to-beef-up-security-for-phone-password-resets-after-breach.html

Honan, Mat. Wired Magazine
Article: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/08/apple-amazon-mat-honan-hacking/