A cyber threat group has assumed responsibility for hacking one of the biggest names in high tech, Apple, according to a post by Dark Web Informer on X (formerly known as Twitter). IntelBroker, a group that intentionally causes harm to digital systems, has reportedly stolen source code from the tech giant for tools used internally by employees and published it on a dark web forum called BreachForums.
The stolen source code is used in internal tools, AppleConnect-SSO, Apple-HWE-Confluence-Advanced, and AppleMacroPlugin, used by Apple employees, including employees in Apple stores. A 9to5Mac report tells us that one of the tools in question, AppleConnect-SSO, enables employees to securely access and use apps within Apple’s internal networks and also integrates with the tech company’s Directory Services Database.
It also interfaces with the Concierge app used by Apple Store employees. No information is currently available about the other two programs.
Dark Web Informer, a dark web tracker that scrapes the dark web for intel about stolen data and threat alerts, broke the news of the data breach when they posted a screenshot on X that theoretically originated from the dark web forum used by IntelBroker. At the time that this article was written, there were no other details shared, either about the data breach itself or whether the source code would be shared freely and sold to other bad actors.
Interestingly, the same threat actor has claimed to have breached and stolen AMD’s employee information, including confidential information and financial documents, according to a Bleeping Computer report. Per the report, AMD is investigating the claim but has not confirmed the breach at this time.
It is a very common practice for malicious actors such as IntelBroker to falsely claim that they have successfully hacked large companies to turn a quick profit by selling fraudulent information. So, was Apple the target of a malicious attack or a malicious rumor intended to pave the way for a high-tech fraud scheme?
Because Apple has neither confirmed nor denied the validity of IntelBroker’s claims, or the Dark Web Informer’s post up until now, the rest of us are still left in the dark as to whether the hackers successfully sliced Apple’s security and truly stole such valuable source code.
