A Russian hacking group has successfully gained access to Apple’s future products information, according to India Today. The hackers appear to have obtained schematics of unreleased products and are reportedly using the information to extort the company for a whopping $50 million.
The hacking group is reportedly named REvil which was able to access confidential data. The group reportedly posted images of the schematics they gained on the dark web, sometime before Apple’s ‘Spring Loaded’ event.
The main target of the cyber attack is reportedly Quanta – a Taiwan based Apple supplier. The hacking group REvil appears to have somehow gained access to Quanta’s computers. As a result, the confidential data of Apple, used by Quanta to manufacture MacBooks and some other products, was leaked.
The cyber attackers, at first, attempted to extort a large sum from Quanta by holding the company at its knees with the help of ransomware. However, the Taiwan based supplier Quanta reportedly refused to pay the hackers to regain access to their data.
Having failed at extorting any money from Quanta, the hacking group has now turned to Apple. The hackers released schematic designs of the newly released iMac before the actual event on the dark web. The hackers have reportedly informed the iPhone maker that schematic designs of unreleased products will be released on the dark web daily until the ransom is paid.
According to The Verge, REvil is hoping that Apple will pay the ransom by the 1st of May, 2021. The leaked schematic images contain the following message: “This is the property of Apple and it must be returned”. They schematics reportedly also state that the documents are not to be reproduced, copied, or published.
The hacking group has also released schematics of an unreleased MacBook Pro. The upcoming machine will reportedly have an HDMI port, MagSafe charging port, and an SD card slot.
