FBI Launches Probe Into AT&T iPad Breach

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has mounted an investigation into a recent security breach at mobile network AT&T that exposed the data of thousands of iPad 3G users.

Among those on the list were high-profile government officials, including White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski.

Tech gossip blog Gawker Media said that the web security group that discovered the vulnerability had revealed that the breach exposed the e-mail addresses and user IDs of nearly 114,000 iPad users on AT&T's network.

In an e-mail to the Washington Post, an FBI spokesperson said: “The FBI is aware of these possible computer intrusions and is looking into it.”

AT&T, the US wireless carrier that provides 3G to all users of Apple products, has been criticised for poor network coverage and customer support by Apple users in the past.

Gawker said that the security breach suggests carelessness on the part of AT&T and Apple.