Report: Apple and Facebook Handed Over Private User Data to Hackers Posing as Law Enforcement

A recent report reveals that both Apple and Facebook provided private user data to hackers who posed as law enforcement officials. The hackers used forged “emergency data requests” to trick the Masters of the Universe into handing over sensitive information such as IP addresses and phone numbers for their targets.

Bloomberg reports that Apple and Facebook (now known as Meta) provided user data to hackers who posed as law enforcement officials, tricking the multi-billion-dollar Masters of the Universe. The tech giants reportedly handed over basic subscribers details including customer addresses, phone numbers, and IP addresses.

Chinese Hackers

The user data was handed over to hackers in mid-2021 in response to forged law enforcement “emergency data requests.” These requests are usually only provided with s search warrant or subpoena signed by a judge, according to sources.

Snap Inc. received a forged legal request from the same hackers but it is currently unclear whether the company handed over any information. When questioned, Apple referenced its law enforcement guidelines which state that a supervisor for the government or law enforcement agent submitting the user data request “may be contacted and asked to confirm to Apple that the emergency request was legitimate.”

Facebook spokesperson Andy Stone commented: “We review every data request for legal sufficiency and use advanced systems and processes to validate law enforcement requests and detect abuse. We block known compromised accounts from making requests and work with law enforcement to respond to incidents involving suspected fraudulent requests, as we have done in this case.”

It is believed that hackers affiliated with the cybercrime group “Recursion Team” are behind the fake legal requests sent to the companies. Cybersecurity researchers believe that some of the hackers sending forged requests are minors in the UK and U.S. It’s also believed one of the minors may be the mastermind behind the cybercrime group Lapsus$ which was responsible for the recent hacks of Microsoft, Samsung, and Nvidia.

Read more at Bloomberg here.

Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship. Follow him on Twitter @LucasNolan or contact via secure email at the address [email protected]

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