Date security experts:
iCloud is optional; iOS
proved robust security
iOS, there was not any one single breach
case and no malware ever succeeded in
hacking any of the user data, where regu-
lar data or highly critical data such as bank
information and personal accounts.
He continued saying that the only breach
case recorded was of an optional service
provided by Apple. The service is not
mandatory for usage of Apple devices.
Only 47% of people who have Apple de-
vices use this service. Therefore, it can-
not be said that the breach jeopardized
the iPhones or iPads but it only happened
photos virtually stored on the iCloud.
Perhaps the impact of this issue is limited
to the US market, being the place where
accounts of some Hollywood celebrities
were breached. However, the Middle East
and other parts of the world did not jump
yet on the iCloud bandwagon, so no im-
pact was felt.
Kokash holds the view that what keeps
customers away from certain devices is
possibility of breaching sensitive data like
financial accounts and information and
phishing attacks.
Sarfaraz Kazi, Technical Director at Spec-
trami, a specialist in security and net-
work solutions, compared the number of
breaches between iOs and its fierce com-
petitor Android. He pointed out that there
are several breaches that take place daily
on the Android apps, some of which hack
user data including financial, personal con-
tact and location-based data, in addition
to spam ads. Correspondingly, the sales
of Android run devices like Samsung,
Sony, LG, HTC and other devices were
n o t
affected.
Me a nwh i l e ,
iOS has not suf-
fered from any internal
breaches. The only breach it
encountered was on an optional
service.
Kazi attributes the recent crisis toApple’s
lack of specialization in virtual storage and
clouding technology. It outsources iCloud
storage, which caused the breach, even if
it was not a serious one. He stated that he
does not think the issue will affect Apple’s
sales as it is not mandatory to install the
service to run the device.
He pointed out that the breach is not risky
unless it derives from organized crimi-
nal operations for financial gains. This
description does not apply to the recent
iCloud crisis. What happened is that nude
photos of Hollywood celebrities were
leaked. Many brushed it off as something
humorous on their Twitter accounts.
He added that the breach may have been
the result of the somehow poor data se-
curity terms. The terms allow users to
access their account on more than one
device, while verifying users by asking
them to enter verification data such as
date of birth, two security questions and
password. Such information can be easily
guessed by online hackers. Dates of birth
of these celebrities are found online and
by simple steps for pros, the two ques-
Moutaz Kokash
Middle Eastern
users not threat-
ened by iCloud
breach
Mohammed Mobasseri
iCloud data se-
curity terms are
poor and should
be reconsidered
21
October
2014
