Apple Fighting Back Against In App Purchase Hack, But Service Still Operational

in app purchase iconLate last week, we reported on the launch of a new method to allow App Store users to bypass Apple's In App Purchase mechanism and receive additional content free of charge. At the time, we noted that use of the method involved theft of content from developers and exposed iOS device users to dangers as their account and device information was being routed to servers under the control of the Russian hacker running the service, but we felt that reporting on the issue to bring it to light was the responsible thing to do in order to alert developers to the issue and perhaps spur Apple into action.

The Next Web now follows up with a report outlining some of the steps Apple has been taking to combat the issue, including issuing a copyright claim to have the original video showing the hack in action pulled from YouTube.

Over the weekend, Apple began blocking the IP address of the server used by Russian hacker Alexey V. Borodin to authenticate purchases.

It followed this up with a takedown request on the original server, taking down third-party authentication with it, also issuing a copyright claim on the overview video Borodin used to document the circumvention method. PayPal also got involved, placing a block on the original donation account for violating its terms of service.

The hacker, Alexey Borodin, remains committed to the service and has been working to skirt around the roadblocks being thrown up by Apple, in part by moving the service to a server in another country, but it is clear that Apple is working on the issue and addressing it through multiple routes in order to improve the security of In App Purchase content. For now, however, the service remains operational.

Top Rated Comments

0038396 Avatar
153 months ago
Leave it to Apple to take away someone's fun.... :rolleyes:

Leave it to hackers to steal from people who worked hard on their products :rolleyes:
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LastLine Avatar
153 months ago
Leave it to Apple to take away someone's fun.... :rolleyes:

You realise this isn't 'someone's fun' - it's theft, that affects developers income.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Shrink Avatar
153 months ago
Ripping off the devs....putz!:mad:
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
aristotle Avatar
153 months ago
I feel sorry for Alexey Borodin. He has no moral centre.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mad Mac Maniac Avatar
153 months ago
am I the only one who feels like news/rumors sites shouldn't be posting about this... This is only drawing attention to it and tempting more people to steal from these hard working developers.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thelink Avatar
153 months ago
Leave it to Apple to take away someone's fun.... :rolleyes:
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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