Act Now: ADP Activation Urged as Apple Study Exposes 2.6B Personal Records Breached

Apple has released a study on The Rising Threat to Consumer Data in the Cloud. In this study, it is highlighted that there has been a dramatic increase in data breaches and cyber threats worldwide. Dr. Madnick from MIT has delved into the growing worldwide cyber threats and emphasized the need to limit exposure and risk by using Apple’s Advanced Data Protection.

The study titled “The Continued Threat to Personal Data: Key Factors Behind the 2023 Increase” has been shared by Apple. It has revealed that personal and professional data breaches are on the rise, exposing the personal information of hundreds of millions of consumers worldwide. Cybercriminals are evolving their methods, making it challenging for organizations to safeguard consumer data, even if they have strong security practices in place.

The major findings from the study include a significant increase in data breaches impacting US organizations, with more breaches recorded in the first three quarters of 2023 than in any prior year. Organizations across the globe, including those in the UK, the US, Australia, and Canada have also been targeted by cybercriminals. The threat has also extended to the Middle East, with a 77% increase in ransomware activity in the region in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022.

The report also sheds light on the current state and evolution of ransomware, vendor exploitation, and other security threats. Dr. Madnick emphasizes the importance of limiting the amount of readable consumer data retained by organizations as an effective way to protect consumers. The use of end-to-end encryption, such as Apple’s Advanced Data Protection, is also highlighted as a crucial measure for protecting user data.

Apple’s Advanced Data Protection was first introduced at the end of 2022, but many users may not have enabled it due to the requirement for all their Apple devices to be running the latest software. Enabling Advanced Data Protection brings end-to-end encryption to various Apple services, including Messages Backup, iPhone iCloud backup, iCloud Drive, Notes, Photos, Reminders, Safari Bookmarks, and more.

Apple’s report aims to raise awareness about the increasing cybersecurity threats and the importance of taking proactive measures to protect consumer data. Users are encouraged to explore the full 20-page report and take steps to enable Advanced Data Protection on their Apple devices to enhance their data security and privacy.