Apple under fire as hacked iTunes complaints swell
Apple is facing mounting criticism as a possible iTunes hack attack has seen customers' gift certificate accounts drained.
Several pages on Apple's forums highlight the security flaw, with dozens of users blaming a Sega app called Kingdom Conquest for removing funds – even if they have never downloaded the game. Various other apps have also been blamed for draining accounts using a similar technique. It's unclear at this stage whether the action is the result of a widespread hack on iTunes or whether individual accounts have been hacked, but more consumers appear to be falling victim to the attack.
The hack changes users' billing addresses and uses games and in-app purchases to syphon money, with victims being advised to deactivate their computers and change passwords – and one post relating to the problem now runs to 24 pages on Apple's own site. The problem appears to have been active since late last year, but the number of complaints has swelled dramatically since May, and some victims claim to have been attacked more than once.
