Is your iDevice secure?
The cyber crises keep rolling in, the latest being a new ransomware threat attack that affects Apple devices – iPhones, iPads and Macs. Making use of the “Find My iPhone”, “Find My iPad”, and “Find My Mac” apps, hackers have found a way to access the cloud-based controls for others’ devices and lock them remotely. After this, they demand a ransom be paid via PayPal in order to have the device unlocked.
Rumor about the level of access hackers had gained to Apple’s iCloud service quickly began to fly, and the company didn’t wait long to get its side of the story out, delivering the below statement to media outlets:
“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.”
While this is where we would typically lambast an organization for a failure to even attempt to show compassion, or any other emotion really, the fact that such robotic communications often has no negative impact for Apple is why the company remains a virtual anomaly in the world of crisis management and public relations.
As for what we should all be doing to protect our data, the solution is simple enough – avoid using the same password for multiple services, back your devices up regularly, and, if you are hit by this latest ransomware, head to the nearest Apple store for help restoring your device. Of course, if you’re really worried about it, you can just disable the “Find My _____” service on your iDevice as well, cutting off the angle of attack entirely.
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For more resources, see the Free Management Library topic: Crisis Management
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[Jonathan Bernstein is president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc., an international crisis management consultancy, author of Manager’s Guide to Crisis Management and Keeping the Wolves at Bay – Media Training. Erik Bernstein is Social Media Manager for the firm, and also editor of its newsletter, Crisis Manager]