Apple and Meta gave user data to hackers who used forged requests
Apple and Meta exposed client information to hackers disguised as law enforcement agencies. All of these incidents occurred in response to emergency requests, which can be used to circumvent conventional procedure with a court order.
Requests were often sent from law enforcement agencies’ hacked email accounts.
These data breaches point to severe flaws in the system’s handling of data requests. The situation is becoming more serious as the number of requests increases. From January to June 2021, Meta received 21,700 data requests from law enforcement agencies worldwide.
Typically, these demands are delivered via email. This improvised approach introduces several dangers of misunderstanding, inaccuracy, and intentional hacking.
As a solution, a ‘single point of contact’ is required, where all law enforcement agencies can issue demands and businesses can collect them. With adequate safeguards, such a collaboration platform might be an effective solution to preventing hacking, data breaches, and growing cyber vulnerabilities around the world.
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The GIP Digital Watch Observatory team, consisting of over 30 digital policy experts from around the world, excels in the fields of research and analysis on digital policy issues. The team is backed by the creative prowess of Creative Lab Diplo and the technical expertise of the Diplo tech team.