Hacker Group 'Turkish Crime Family' Threatens To Reset Millions Of Apple iPhones; But Here Is How Users Can Protect Yourself

A recent update noted of a hacking group, which calls itself as "Turkish Crime Family," is reportedly claiming to wipe out data from millions of iPhones. As per reports, the hackers stated that they have the modes to access over 559 million Apple iCloud accounts and me.com domains. They have threatened Apple to pay for $100,000 in iTunes gift cards or $75,000 in Bitcoin/Ether (another digital currency) by April 7, 2017, if the company does not want the data to be deleted.

According to Mens XP, the update came out on Tuesday, which further notes that if Apple does not pay up the ransom, then the hacking group "Turkish Crime Family" will delete all the user data consisting of photos, text messages, videos and other personal information. Moreover, they have threatened to reset Apple smartphones owned by users around the globe.

Fortune cited that Apple's database is still intact and no such cyber threat has been detected till now. A few other sources noted that this information leak could be from stolen LinkedIn accounts. There is still uncertainty whether Apple iPhones are going to be hacked by these activists. Nonetheless, it is better to be on the safer side. So, here are some ways to protect phones from hacks.

Password Update:

Users are suggested to use a password that offers "high-entropy" aspects. Such passwords consist of upper and lower case characters accompanied with random numbers and special characters. Users can also use the help of third-party apps like LastPass to create complex passwords, which are harder to hack.

Varying Security Questions:

Many users have the habit of saving same answers for security questions at various websites. It is advisable to have a different answer or a security question so that it is harder to track. Make notes of these answers and questions somewhere safe.

Set Up A Proper Authentication Using A Security Code:

This setup involves the use of a two-factor authentication number that will verify the account of a user. Users are prompted to enter a security code to log in, which is sent on the phone. If still feel threatened, then also set up a Google voice number that requires a user's consent to access.