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Lifestyle

Celebrity Accounts Hacked

September 16, 2014

In early September, the online world was riven by controversy when a hacker leaked nude photos and videos of celebrities online. One of the access points was said to be a security flaw in Apple’s iCloud online backup service. The celebrities hacked include actresses Jennifer Lawrence and Kirsten Dunst - but any of us could become a victim.

https://p.dw.com/p/1DCjP

One way that iCloud was vulnerable to hackers: even with multiple incorrect password entries, access to the account wasn’t blocked. Apple has meanwhile fixed this security hole. Storage services like SecureSafe or Wuala provide an alternative to iCloud by offering encrypted data transmission. An even safer option is setting up your own cloud, for example by using the open-source project OwnCloud. And don’t forget the one basic rule: it’s always worth thinking first about what you do - and don’t - want to store online in the first place.