AllThingsD reports that Apple has issued a statement responding to this week's leak of one million unique device identifiers (UDIDs) for iOS devices, noting that it did not provide the FBI with the information. An FBI computer was claimed by the hackers to be the source of the information, but the FBI has denied any involvement in the situation.
“The FBI has not requested this information from Apple, nor have we provided it to the FBI or any organization. Additionally, with iOS 6 we introduced a new set of APIs meant to replace the use of the UDID and will soon be banning the use of UDID,” Apple spokesperson Natalie Kerris told AllThingsD.
With the AntiSec hackers claiming to be in possession of 12 million UDIDs as well as additional personal information tied to some of the numbers, it remains unclear exactly where the data came from.
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Apple has been working to phase out use of the UDID, creating new tools to allow developers to track usage of their apps on a per-device basis. With the UDID being a universal identifier, it has been used by advertisers and others to collect information across apps and other usage to develop user profiles for marketing persons, and Apple's new system will seek to improve user privacy.
Top Rated Comments
This is the US of A, after all, the "land of the free" with Patriot Acts galore.
A classic case of "plausible deniability" - what else would they say to the public? Or do you think agencies like the CIA also admit publicly to having secret prisons all over the world?
"Oh yes, we got this information as part of our secret national security efforts"?
Gimme a break, Sirs. Hackers are the harmless factor here; it's the FBI and other illegally-mandated agencies that have a lot to respond to the usually-benighted US citizens. And I am sure we will still read here some supportive comments stating that "No problem, they must have had some fine reason for doing so; after all, they fight every day to save our poor lives".
Facebook
2)they have so much personal data of yours that it will make your head spin.
Imagine facial recognition software. Now imagine it with a database of self varified(tagged)photos in their system. We gave them everything they needed to create profiles on all of us. I am completely aware of how conspiracy theorist this sounds. I'm my opinion, Facebook is very dangerous. If I knew then what I know now I would never have signed up for an account. We basically gave them the keys to the castle.
It might not be facebook directly. Maybe an employee collecting information for different agencies.
<joke>maybe it's ancient aliens</joke>
Wikileaks? lol :D
Glad to hear a new system is in the works.