Update 6/15 – It turns out that the exploit pointed out by Goatse Security is more significant than I originally thought. I will be writing more on the matter soon. In the mean time, this explains the issue, albeit in a more technical manner. http://security.goatse.fr/a-response-to-atts-letter
A group referring to themselves as “Goatse Security” found a simple exploit of AT&T’s website that allowed them to pull the email addresses of many iPad 3G owners (Gawker).
AT&T has already plugged the leak in their website.
Anyone who’s email address was published isn’t in real danger, except I strongly recommend that they give their email a closer inspection before opening it in the coming months. Always keep an eye out for spam and phishing schemes.
This isn’t a big deal, but it’s getting media attention because it involves the iPad, and many prominent people had their email addresses published. It would be nice if the news could take the time to report about something that is actually problematic like ACTA… But that’s not going to happen.
What’s a “goatse?”
Some of you have no idea what a goatse is. The name “Goatse Security” is actually an appropriate, and very disgusting name for the group revealing the hole in AT&T security; I recommend you just take my word for it.
Now, I’m not going to tell you what it is, because I find it repulsive… But some of you are going to look it up anyway. Here’s some advice:
*** Don’t look up it up at all… If you must look up “goatse,” DO NOT do it at work, in public, around small children, or in the presence of anyone who doesn’t really want to know what it is… This is the kind of thing that you cannot un-see ***
If you still want to look it up, do a Google image search, and turn off SafeSearch.
Don’t look directly into it either.
Goatse images are a niche Internet meme. I’m certain that I would not have learned of this monsterous act if it weren’t for the Internet. Consequently, we all owe Al Gore our thanks for teaching us what a goatse is.
Thanks Al (Here’s why we thank Al).
The Geek Whisperer 