Anyone who read this blog yesterday will be aware that hacking group AntiSec have posted a volume of data that they claim to have stolen from an FBI laptop. A database containing around 12 million UDID numbers from iPads and iPhones was supposedly taken from a laptop owned by an FBI employee.
However a statement issued to tech website AllThingsD by the FBI sought to refute these claims:
“The FBI is aware of published reports alleging that an FBI laptop was compromised and private data regarding Apple UDIDs was exposed… At this time there is no evidence indicating that an FBI laptop was compromised or that the FBI either sought or obtained this data.”
The FBI also tweeted from their @FBIPressOffice account to deny the reports of AntiSec successfully hacking a bureau device:
Statement soon on reports that one of our laptops with personal info was hacked. We never had info in question. Bottom Line: TOTALLY FALSE
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FBI PressOffice (@FBIPressOffice) September 04, 2012However, members of the public aren’t exactly convinced by the denial of these reports. Several comments on TechCrunch take a skeptical stand-point to the FBI:
“Translation: “We didn’t notice any files being leaked.”“
“It’s funny when the security exploit within Java was CONFIRMED by Java’s developers as well almost a week after the breach supposedly occurred and was pushed to all computers running it. There’s no credibility in the FBI anymore if they can’t even research enough to defend their position.“
What’s your take on this? Would admitting that they’d been hacked implicate the FBI in collecting mobile phone and tablet data from members of the public? Have they really not been hacked, or perhaps more worryingly, not noticed that they’ve been hacked? Please leave your thoughts below.
