Apple and Meta provided user data to hackers posing as law enforcement officials
Hackers compromised email domains of law enforcement agencies in multiple countries
By Arghyadeep Dutta
Published - Mar 31, 2022, 12:29 AM ET
Last Updated - Feb 20, 2024, 02:12 PM EST
User data was used to enable harassment, may aid financial fraud
Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) and Facebook’s parent company Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ: FB) provided user data to hackers who impersonated law enforcement officials.
The two tech giants gave away basic user details, including address, phone number, and IP address, in mid-2021 in response to the forged “emergency data requests,” Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Generally, data requests are provided to the law enforcement officials after submitting a search warrant or subpoena signed by a judge; the emergency requests don’t require a court order, the report said.
