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4chan Users Claim to Have Hacked Hillary Clinton Campaign Chairman John Podesta's iPhone, iPad

4chan Users Claim to Have Hacked Hillary Clinton Campaign Chairman John Podesta's iPhone, iPad

By Ravi Sharma | Updated: 15 October 2016 04:47 IST

Highlights

4chan hackers found John Podesta's password in WikiLeaks email dump
WikiLeaks, however, says it had changed password before releasing emails
Podesta's Twitter account had been hacked earlier as well

Hackers on a 4chan message board claim to have wiped the iPhone and iPad of Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman John Podesta. The hackers got access to Podesta’s Apple devices within 12 hours of WikiLeaks releasing private emails from his accounts on Wednesday, which apparently included his Apple ID credentials as well as his Social Security number.

Took about ~25 minutes from WL posting "part 5" emails before 4Chan had found Podesta's Apple creds and logged in for first time fyi. pic.twitter.com/JpKdVhHX44
— Pwn All The Things (@pwnallthethings) October 13, 2016

4chan also apparently wiped Podesta's iPad. pic.twitter.com/HzALdTvr98
— Pwn All The Things (@pwnallthethings) October 13, 2016

Before erasing the iPhone and iPad, 4chan users on a Reddit thread claim that they downloaded the data from Podesta’s email account. Talking to Gizmodo, a representative of the hackers said that information in the Podesta leaks was “helpful in conducting phishing attacks for the DNC members before the leaks emerged on Wikileaks.”

The hacker was able to get access the passwords of several dozen senators’ email IDs, credit card information, as well Social Security numbers. The list includes the likes of US Vice President Joe Biden, acting chair of Democratic National Party (DNC) Donna Brazile, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

However, WikiLeaks on its Twitter handle said that it had changed the relevant credentials before releasing the email dump. Regardless of the veracity of the claim, it appears Podesta did not change his credentials including his Apple ID, despite his emails having been released to the public.

@wikileaks @mkarolian Ha! Masterful work and delivery. Long live WikiLeaks ♥
— Basement Dweller Chi (@CasaChichi) October 13, 2016

The screenshots show that Podesta had not enabled two-factor verification – an added layer of security – on his Apple ID.

Soon after the WikiLeaks dump, Podesta’s Twitter account was hacked and a tweet asking followers to vote for Clinton’s rival Donald Trump was sent out. The tweet was deleted later. The Clinton campaign has confirmed the hacked Twitter account, but has not said anything about the wiped iPhone and iPad.

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