Hackers access Apple server with small amount of survey data

The group of hackers known as "AntiSec" were responsible for the alleged security breach and posting of usernames and passwords, according to The Wall Street Journal. The data was posted over the weekend on the official Twitter account of the group, which is comprised of members of the vigilante group "Anonymous" as well as hackers from the defunct "Lulz Security."

The data released by the group includes 27 usernames and encrypted passwords taken from an SQL database from an online survey hosted by Apple. The security breach does not involve Apple's popular iTunes Store or the 225 million accounts and credit cards associated with it.

"#Apple could be target, too," the group wrote on its Twitter account on Sunday, along with a link to the short list of usernames and passwords. "But don't worry, we are busy elsewhere."

A number of high-profile companies have recently been the target of groups like "AntiSec" and "LulzSec." Most prominently, Sony was forced to take its PlayStation Network offline for a lengthy period of time after hackers breached its servers and obtained data including usernames, passwords, names, addresses, and potentially even credit card data.

Other victims of "LulzSec" include the FBI, the CIA, AT&T, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety. The group of loosely associated hackers claimed to have disbanded last month, though other operations like "AntiSec" have picked up where they left off.

Apple bolstered the security of its "Apple ID" accounts associated with iTunes and App Store purchases last year after its online forums were hacked. iTunes accounts have also been targeted for fraud, though a large-scale breach of usernames and passwords similar to Sony's PSN woes has never occurred.