Apple has confirmed that hackers attacked and infected a “small numbers” of Mac users, according to reports from Reuters. The company told the publication that the same unidentified group thought to be behind an attack on Facebook targeted it and breached and a small number of employees’ Macs. Apple said it is working with authorities to investigate the attacks but “there was no evidence that any data left Apple.”
EXCLUSIVE: Apple said it was attacked by hackers who infected “small number” of its Mac computers. #BREAKING
— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) February 19, 2013
According to the report, the attack exploited a flaw in the Java browser plug-in on Macs and also hit Facebook in addition to “hundreds of companies, including defense contractors, had been infected with the same malicious software, or malware.” Apple told Reuters it plans to release a tool later today that would protect Mac users against the software used in the attacks on its employees’ computers.
Apple also provided a statement on the matter to AllThingsD:
Apple provided more color on the involvement with Java to The Loop:
We’ll keep you posted when we learn more about the software tool Apple plans to release today for users.
