We reported a few days ago about the iTunes 4th of July “Hack”. It seems that something similar has been going on in the last 24 hours. Expect Apple to act swiftly on this one as well.
Another developer by the name of WiiSHii Network has employed what looks like a similar scheme to that employed by the Vietnamese outfit to get a large number of very similar apps, with limited functionality to the top of the Travel Section on the App Store.
A reader of the technology site Ars Technia contacted them to report that she had had around $168 worth of apps from this developer fraudulently put on her account.
Without further information it is hard to guess how wide spread this particular hack is. But bearing in mind that the sections that both these scams have targeted are areas of the App Store with relatively low numbers of Apps in them. Around 1500 in the travel section, for example. It seems that this again is linked to a relatively small number of compromised accounts.
Ars Technica criticise Apple for suggesting that affected customers file a fraud report with their credit card company if this happens to them. Saying that it is not a convenient solution.
They then suggest that people monitor their accounts for suspicious purchases. Which in itself it not very effective because Apple typically batch App Store receipts, and they get sent out a day or more after purchases are made.
As we suggested before: Make sure your iTunes App Store account password is unusual, and has a mix of letters, numbers and different cases in it. Change your password if you think that it may be known, or it has been the same for a long time.
Other than that do remember that with millions of customers it is quite likely that some accounts will be hacked from time to time, and that whilst this story is not trivial it does not mean that iTunes is collapsing under a massive coordinated attack!
Has your account been hacked? Have you seen any suspicious purchases? Let us know in the comments…
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5 Comments on “Another iTunes App Store Hack Reported”
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My account was hacked July 9th. Someone purchased about $100 worth of music (not apps, is this another scam that's not reported yet???) My credit card company removed the charges and issued me a new card immediately, given the fact that I did next to no work to prove the disputed charge I am certain that they have been getting a lot of complaints this week…
Mine was Hacked too. I lost $307 in this scam. And apple won't help me. They pretend it's all my fault. EFF YOU APPLE! I hate you!
Mine got hacked, they bought a bunch of friendcaller credits after downloading the friendcaller app. 32 transactions at $68 a pop in a few minutes. I was even on the phone with paypal while it was happening–they could not believe it either.
I just happened to check my mail going out the door 7/8 am and saw itunes receipts with what looked like vietnamese titles on many things. I locked down my card immediately. Itunes refunded the charges and I removed my card info and changed password. I just hate a theif!