Data leaks have become increasingly common in recent years. From Nvidia to LinkedIn, many major companies have struggled to lock down the private data stored on their databases. The main culprits are hacking groups – many of which make it their goal to target the data inside vulnerable databases.
Apple is one company that has struggled to maintain the security of its users. Just a few months ago, Apple was criticized for the way it handled the infamous Flashback virus – where hundreds of thousands of Apple systems were infected but Apple refused to issue a hotfix for several months. However, this recent data leak doesn’t appear to be Apple’s fault. Instead, the 12 million Apple IDs were stolen from an FBI computer.
The culprit was apparently a hacking group called AntiSec. Although the group stole 12 million Apple IDs, it has only released limited details about 1 million of those accounts. AntiSec claims that personal information was stolen along with those Apple IDs, although that personal information was not released with those initial 1 million accounts.
I don’t know what’s more frightening about this story: the fact that 12 million Apple IDs are currently floating around on the internet, or the fact that an FBI computer was inexplicably carrying that many Apple IDs. Why was the FBI storing that information in the first place? As of yet, the answer to that question is unknown.

How to protect your information after a data leak

In any case, the data on the FBI agent’s laptop was not adequately secured, and Apple users are the ones who have to suffer. Remember: to limit the effect of these data leaks in the future, make sure you use different passwords and user account names for all of your major accounts. Otherwise, one data leak could cause your entire digital life to unravel.