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Australian Apple s Allege Extortion Attempts Using 'Find My Phone'

Australian Apple s Allege Extortion Attempts Using 'Find My Phone' 553mb

By Reuters | Updated: 29 May 2014 14:57 IST

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Multiple s on Apple Inc's online forum and Twitter have reported an unusual smartphone and tablet hack in which cyber attackers were said to have locked Australian s' smartphones and demanded payment in return for unlocking them.

The alleged cyber attackers, first reported by The Sydney Morning Herald, appeared to use Apple's "Find My Phone" feature to lock the devices' screens and send a message demanding money be sent to a PayPal , according to multiple s. The anti-theft feature locks phones that are reported lost. 4pi4m

iCloud was not compromised during this incident. Impacted s should change their Apple ID as soon as possible and avoid using the same name and for multiple services. Any s who need additional help can AppleCare or visit their local Apple Retail Store."

(Also see: iCloud Activation Lock Allegedly Byed By 'doulCi' Hacker Team)

It recommended affected s change their s as soon as possible and avoid using the same name and for multiple services.

An Apple spokeswoman in Sydney said by telephone Apple did not have any details on how widespread the incident was or whether it was contained to Australia.

Multiple s requested information on Apple's forum about how to reset their phones or otherwise circumvent the lock, while other s also tweeted their concerns.

"I went to check my phone and there was a message on the screen saying that my device(s) had been hacked by 'Oleg Pliss' and he/she/they demanded $100 USD/EUR," said "veritylikestea", a from the Australian city of Melbourne, on an Apple discussion board.

Other s replied that they had received the same message.

Telstra Corp Ltd, Australia's largest telecommunications provider, said it was aware of the issue, while Vodafone Hutchison Australia said it was encouraging worried customers to Apple.

Reuters could not immediately the identity of the s, or the accuracy of their claims.

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