Vigilante hacker group Anonymous hacked into an Apple server over the Independence Day weekend and published usernames and passwords as part of its recent anti-security campaign.
The stunt was part of Anonymous' "AntiSec," or anti-security, campaign, according to Reuters. "Not being so serious, but well ... Apple could be a target, too. But don't worry, we are busy elsewhere," Anonymous tweeted on Sunday. The server targeted was an internal one used for online surveys. Anonymous said the data included 27 usernames and passwords.
The hacking of a technical support server is considered relatively benign, ZDNet wrote, and we have to agree. The problem is that if Anonymous wanted to cause trouble, how easy would it be for the hackers to disrupt Apple's iTunes store? And does Apple have enough security measures in place to hinder or stop hackers?
We don't think this was necessarily a warning to Apple that it's next on Anonymous' list, but it is a wake-up call that there is a new breed of hacker-anarchists whose sole goal is disruption and chaos. Apple needs to have a security team ready to greet them.
