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Apple developer center hacked

[UPDATE] Turkish researcher claims responsibility.

134 Comments

[UPDATE] A Turkish security researcher, Ibrahim Balic, has claimed responsibility for the hack, according to a report at The Guardian. Balic insisted that he perpetrated the hack to demonstrate that Apple's system was in fact leaking user information.

The original story is below.

Apple has taken down its developer website following a hacking attempt that potentially exposed names, physical mailing addresses, and email accounts.

No Caption Provided

In a statement on the site titled "We'll be back soon," Apple explained that this hacking attempt was detected on Thursday.

"Last Thursday, an intruder attempted to secure personal information of our registered developers from our developer website. Sensitive personal information was encrypted and cannot be accessed, however, we have not been able to rule out the possibility that some developers' names, mailing addresses, and/or email addresses may have been accessed," the statement reads.

"In the spirit of transparency, we want to inform you of the issue. We took the site down immediately on Thursday and have been working around the clock since then."

Apple explained that in order to prevent a similar security threat in the future, the company is "completely overhauling" its developer systems, updating server software, and rebuilding its entire database.

"We apologize for the significant inconvenience that our downtime has caused you and we expect to have the developer website up again soon," the statement reads.

Developers with program memberships set to expire during the period will have their accounts extended, Apple said. No indication as to when the portal will reopen has been given.

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Avatar image for Tadgerot
Tadgerot

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Updating server software??

What, surely they should be updated and monitored at regular intervals, ermm kind of like daily maybe?

I would have had my arse kicked when I was server admin if I did not do my dailys.

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dirtdog10304

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apple hipsters are the worst kind of hipster.

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4le_breVVer

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Edited By 4le_breVVer

@dirtdog10304 What is this hipster you mention, and how does one avoid becoming one?

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dirtdog10304

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@4le_breVVer @dirtdog10304

the first step is to not purchase anything apple, I will tell you that. Otherwise, you may want to google apple hipsters

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blackothh

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lol looks like hackers are finding interest in hacking the system that was supposed to not have bad stuff happen to it.

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4le_breVVer

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So someone wants to take another bite of the apple?

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Mik2303

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"completely overhauling its developer systems, updating server software, and rebuilding its entire database".

You know they are just gonna hotfix - patch this security hole. Or, if they indeed update everything, one has to ask: Why didn't they keep their security systems up-to-date already? How long before they're out-of-date again?

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GrayF0X786

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xbox, go home.

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brainiac1988

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@GrayF0X786 lol

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red666devil

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Maybe he saw the new iOS 7 interface and got irked

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thermalmotion

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Edited By thermalmotion

Or the design of the new mac pro

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McGregor

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Haha. I know everyone can get hacked, but this is funny because it's the 'All-Mighty Apple". I'm a proud owner of 0 Apple products; I refuse to pay three times the price for hardware, just so apple can feel they aren't charging me for open source software.

4 • 
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thermalmotion

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Edited By thermalmotion

How ever do you manage without a F*#%ING BOAT ANCHOR!?

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Lambchopzin

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Edited By Lambchopzin

'Apple explained that in order to prevent a similar security threat in the future, the company is "completely overhauling" its developer systems,'

Sounds like the hacker accomplished his goal then, yeah? If his claim that it was simply to expose the flaws in Apples security systems so that they would shape up is to be believed. I guess that's a good thing.

Not that I am encouraging hacking personal information regardless of the rationale, but it's a shame that the shit has to hit the fan before a company takes internet security seriously. Was a similar issue with Sony back when they got hacked (although I don't think the hacker had professed any good intentions, it did succeed in exposing what was a pretty awful security system).

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Skhuff

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Apple..stay strong!

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Tadgerot

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RIP Apple.

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dirtdog10304

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@Tadgerot

DIE APPLE, DIE

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sammoth

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But, wait I thought Apple was unhackable. ROFLMAO

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acelogan1989

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hahahha

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Latiran

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@Barrakas21 Jesus man chill out, the **** is wrong with you? :S

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WehrmachtBear

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NOKIA ALL THE WAY BITCHESSSSSSSS!!!!!!

3 • 
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ragnar320

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@Barrakas21 what exactly are you talking about

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scatterbrain007

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@ragnar320 @Barrakas21 Something about his winky being too small or somethin'... I dunno he deleted it.

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shadowboy88

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Edited By shadowboy88

This gamespot not cnet right?......right???

11 • 
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Sampawende

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@Barrakas21 Even I know by now that you're a hater, you should update your thumbnail it'll give you some rest for at least a day or two...

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Sampawende

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Edited By Sampawende

4 emails since this morning inviting me to reset my email and no way to disable a shit on apple store.

Seriously people are loving Apple ? Come on they'll have a syncope when they try something else...

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Latiran

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@Sampawende Damn man disabling a shit ain't good for ya :P

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AshTrai

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Edited By AshTrai

@Sampawende There's no way to disable a shit?

However will i sleep at night T_T

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Daian

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Screw the cloud, I'm not storing personal photos and videos on the internet just things that I want people to see.

And I don't know if it surprises anyone that Krapple leaks user information, they're an evil corporation, they freakin put nets next to their factories in China so borderline slave workers stop killing themselves by jumping out the window.

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Daian

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@Barrakas21 Did you just say you'll bomb cbs and gamespot? People are arrested for smaller threats, so my advice is to never drop the soap.

You'll use that advice in the near future.

8 • 
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scatterbrain007

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Edited By scatterbrain007

@Barrakas21

Don't be surprised when there's a knock at your door by the authorities, psychopath.

11 • 
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daabulls23

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Edited By daabulls23

"Balic insisted that he perpetrated the hack to demonstrate that Apple's system was in fact leaking user information."

But didn't he need to hack their information to leak it?

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xtraflossy

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@daabulls23 Nah man, there was already a puddle of information on the floor of the server room.

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AshTrai

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Edited By AshTrai

@daabulls23

Balic: Apple, ur system has security holes. the problem is here and here, so go patch em.
Apple: o'rly? Haha, we'll get right on that

*6 months later*

Balic: Apple, i told u 6 months ago that u have security holes and you've done nothing
Apple: o'rly? We'll get right on that

Balic: **** this
*apple gets hacked*
Apple: ohhhhhhhhh some bad person has hacked our very high security system and stolen details. We will rebuild our systems to properly protect sensitive data.

Balic: GREAT SUCCESS!

10 • 
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Tribesmaster

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Everyone always being hacked now days.

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Sampawende

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Edited By Sampawende

Whatever information you put out there in the "clouds" are not safe, no matter how hard companies will try to demonstrate us the contrary.


And to think that there was a time where to register to a website we only needed to provide a username....

5 • 
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Gamesfetch

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NASA announced Xbox one is the perfect console to play video games in space

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mergulho456

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Edited By mergulho456

@Gamesfetch SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE!

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Tzap

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@Gamesfetch I can totally see how that's relevant here


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auliaackckck

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Edited By auliaackckck

that could explain some iphones exploding

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thermalmotion

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Edited By thermalmotion

@auliaackckck And frying poor Chinese girls :'(

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Sydrum

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Edited By Sydrum

TURKISHSHSH POWERARARRRARRAAR!!!

PS: PS outsells the XBox 20:1 in Turkey.

6 • 
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deathstream

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@Sydrum

Get a life.

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thermalmotion

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Edited By thermalmotion

IPhone is a huge piece of shit.

15 • 
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WehrmachtBear

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@thermalmotion And people like huge pieces of shit.

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the_craig

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Edited By the_craig

@wgerardi @Barrakas21 My OUYA got so much use this weekend despite having both a 360, ps3, and wii. When i had people over for games night we played hours of towerfall and bombsquad. On sunday i relaxed and played a a good 6 hours of harvest moon on the GBA emulator.

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Saidrex

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NSA? Sounds like them

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wgerardi

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@Barrakas21 I'm also a little confused by Ouya's existence.

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