Apple’s Source Code for Internal Tools Allegedly Stolen, Leaked by Threat Actor in Data Breach

Threat actor IntelBroker allegedly breached three of Apple's internal tools used by employees and leaked them on a dark web forum.

Written by Akash Dutta, Edited by David Delima | Updated: 20 June 2024 15:55 IST

Apple’s Source Code for Internal Tools Allegedly Stolen, Leaked by Threat Actor in Data Breach

Photo Credit: Unsplash/Yue Iris

IntelBroker also claims it breached AMD’s website to steal the company’s data

Highlights

Apple’s internal tools were allegedly breached by IntelBroker
The hacker group is said to have taken responsibility for the attack
The source code of Apple’s internal tools was hosted on a dark web forum

Apple has allegedly been targeted in a data breach that resulted in a hacker stealing the source code of its internal tools. A threat actor group that goes by the name 'IntelBroker' has assumed responsibility for the theft of the source code for three internal tools commonly used by the tech giant. IntelBroker has reportedly released the data from the breach on a dark web forum, weeks after the hacker group also claimed to have breached AMD's website.

Threat Actors Steal Source Code of Apple's Three Internal Tools

According to a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) by Dark Web Informer, IntelBroker breached and stole the source code of three internal tools used by Apple employees — AppleConnect-SSO, Apple-HWE-Confluence-Advanced, and AppleMacroPlugin.

A screenshot of the hacker's post on the dark web forum (tap to expand)
Photo Credit: X/ @DarkWebInformer

While there's no information about two of these three tools, a 9to5Mac report reveals that AppleConnect-SSO is an authentication system used by Apple employees. It allows staffers access to specific apps within Apple's network and is designed to be integrated with the company's Directory Services database.

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According to the publication, Apple employees reportedly used the system to securely access the company's internal resources. The tool is also reported to be integrated within the Concierge app, which is used by employees in Apple Stores.

The dark web tracker shared a screenshot from the dark web forum BreachForums, where in a post, the hacker group said, “I'm releasing the internal source code to three of Apple's commonly used tools for their internal site, thanks for reading and enjoy.” IntelBroker did not share any other details about the breach. It is also unclear whether the source code is being offered for free or if it is being sold. by the group.

Notably, dark web posters often claim to have hacked into major tech companies' databases in an attempt to sell fraudulent data and make a quick buck. It is difficult to say whether the Apple hack is one of those cases, or if the company really suffered a cyberattack. Gadgets 360 was not able to verify these claims. We've reached out to Apple for comment on the story, and will update this article when we receive a response.

Separately, a BleepingComputer report reveals that the same threat actor also claimed to have stolen AMD's employee information, financial documents, and confidential information after hacking into the company's website. AMD has now told the publication that it is investigating the claim.

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Further reading: Apple, Cybersecurity, Hacking, IntelBroker

Akash Dutta Email Akash Dutta

Akash Dutta is a Senior Sub Editor at Gadgets 360. He is particularly interested in the social impact of technological developments and loves reading about emerging fields such as AI, metaverse, and fediverse. In his free time, he can be seen supporting his favourite football club - Chelsea, watching movies and anime, and sharing passionate opinions on food. More