NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The FBI is investigating a security breach of AT&T's website that allowed hackers to access the e-mail addresses of iPad owners.
"The FBI is aware of these possible computer intrusions," an FBI spokesman said in an e-mailed statement. "We have opened an investigation to address the potential cyber threat." The Bureau did not comment on the scope of its investigation.
A hacker group called Goatse Security exploited a vulnerability on AT&T's website to harvest the e-mail addresses that iPad 3G buyers provided to activate their devices. The group sent the information to tech and gossip blog Gawker, which reported that 114,000 e-mail addresses were exposed.
Without commenting on the vast scope of the alleged hack, AT&T (T, Fortune 500) acknowledged taking action to fix a security hole.
The exposure connected subscribers' e-mail addresses with their iPad ICC IDs, a unique identification number used to link devices with their owners. AT&T linked them so that users of Apple's (AAPL, Fortune 500) 3G version of the iPad would not have to type in their e-mail addresses every time they wanted to access or change their AT&T account and billing settings.
AT&T said e-mail addresses were the only information that could have been exposed as a result of the glitch, and that it will inform all customers who may have been affected. The company would not comment on the FBI investigation. ![]()






| Index | Last | Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dow | 15,335.28 | -19.12 | -0.12% |
| Nasdaq | 3,496.43 | -2.54 | -0.07% |
| S&P 500 | 1,666.29 | -1.18 | -0.07% |
| Treasuries | 1.96 | 0.02 | 0.82% |
| Company | Price | Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank of America Corp... | 13.51 | 0.08 | 0.60% |
| Microsoft Corp | 35.08 | 0.21 | 0.60% |
| Sprint Nextel Corp | 7.29 | -0.03 | -0.41% |
| Advanced Micro Devic... | 4.10 | 0.03 | 0.74% |
| Ford Motor Co | 15.05 | -0.03 | -0.20% |
|
Apple executives including CEO Tim Cook are due to appear before a Senate subcommittee on Tuesday, as lawmaker study how multinationals keep profits offshore for tax purposes. More |
Apple executives including CEO Tim Cook are due to appear before a Senate subcommittee on Tuesday, as lawmaker study how multinationals keep profits offshore for tax purposes. More |
The Internet asked Marissa Mayer to "please make Flickr awesome again," and in turn, the Yahoo CEO is revamping her company's photo-sharing service. More |
Small business owners say they're not yet feeling the effects of an improving economy, and most aren't rushing to hire, or seeking funds to invest in their businesses. More |
Between ballooning student loans, credit cards and money owed to family members, graduates of the class of 2013 are facing an average $35,200 in debt, a Fidelity survey found. More |