It's time for Apple to follow its own slogan: think different. This time about security.
The hacking group AntiSec claims to have 12 million numbers for iPhones, iPods and Ipads as well as some personal data on the owners. AntiSec stated that its goal was to prove that the F.B.I. uses device information to track people.
There is no doubt that the F.B.I. tracks people, but my concern is that if AntiSec can hack into Apple, so can others, and others can hack into AntiSec. Call me paranoid, but hackers are out to get us. They want our personal data for one reason: to steal. They're not curious about our favorite stores or our favorite meals. They want our money. They are career criminals, a tech-savvy version of the lot who used to steal television sets and jewelry to sell because they want the money.
One of Apple's selling points to computer users is that there were few viruses written for the Mac. In fact, my wife's aunt by marriage got an iMac years ago because her PC was always getting infected with viruses. (The reason is, of course, that she didn't run her anti-virus software daily, as we do.) But mobile devices, whether they are smartphones or tablets are vulnerable to hacking. People use banking apps. People shop from their iPads. That means that their bank account numbers and credit card numbers can be stolen. Fill in with name, addresses, date of birth and Social Security number and you've got potential identity theft. (Remember, when you buy a cell phone, you have to give the merchant your Social Security number.) Hackers like to put the pieces of the puzzle together. They concentrate on crime, not finding a cure for cancer.
So, Apple. Think different. Don't just make your hardware pleasing to look at. Make sure yo have a superhero preventing hackers.
