Apple users in Australia were held to ransom following a hack on iPhone, iPad and Mac devices where their information was compromised. Apple has since urged users to change their iCloud passwords.
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The overall infringement affected people in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the US and people using Australian devices elsewhere in the world. Users were then sent messages urging them to send US$100 to a fake PayPal account in the name of Oleg Pliss, or their data would be deleted from their devices through the Find My iPhone feature.
In a statement to ZDNet Apple said: “Apple takes security very seriously and iCloud was not compromised during this incident. Impacted users should change their Apple ID password as soon as possible and avoid using the same user name and password for multiple services. Any users who need additional help can contact AppleCare or visit their local Apple Retail Store.”
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PayPal assured the affected that the email address listed by Oleg Pliss was not linked to a PayPal account so user details and money were not taken after all. Service providers prompted users to contact AppleCare or visit Apple’s retail stores if they still had concerns. Users were also reminded not to use the same username and/or password for different things.