IT security hole exposes iPad users' e-mail addresses

BREAK IN: AT&T Inc has acknowledged a security weakness that exposed the e-mail addresses of apparently more than 100,000 iPad users in the United States. - AP

SAN FRANCISCO: AT&T Inc has acknowledged a security weak spot that exposed the e-mail addresses of apparently more than 100,000 users of the Apple iPad in the United States.

The breach could make those people vulnerable to precision-targeted hacking attacks.

The vulnerability, which AT&T said it has fixed, affected only iPad users who signed up for AT&T's "3G" wireless Internet service.

It involved an insecure way that AT&T's website would prompt iPad users when they tried to log into their AT&T accounts.

The hacker group that claims to have discovered the weakness - the group calls itself Goatse Security - said it was able to trick AT&T's site into coughing up more than 114,000 e-mail addresses, including those apparently of famous media personalities and important government officials. - AP