Using Apple’s Hide My Email? A new bug may expose your real address, how to stay safe
Follow UsApple’s Hide My Email feature is designed to protect your privacy by letting you use a random email address instead of your real one.
A new research suggests that a bug in the feature can expose users' actual email addresses.
Apple was being informed about the bug more than a year ago, but still has not resolved it.
Apple’s Hide My Email feature is designed to protect your privacy by letting you use a random email address instead of your real one. However, new research suggests that a bug in the feature can expose users’ actual email addresses. The issue was reported by 404 Media, which said it tested the bug and confirmed that it works. According to the report, security researcher Tyler Murphy discovered the vulnerability and informed Apple about it more than a year ago. He said the company has not fixed the problem yet.
SurveyMurphy also claimed that every attempt to test the bug was successful. “We don’t know the full scope of the issue, but in our limited tests with volunteers, 100% of Hide My Email addresses were exploitable,” Murphy told the outlet.
The technical details of the bug have not been made public. Murphy said they are being kept private to prevent misuse by attackers.
Murphy is the co-founder of EasyOptOuts, a service that helps people remove their personal information from data broker websites. He warned that “publicly accessible people-search sites make it easy to link an email address to other personal details, so people relying on Hide My Email for safety may be at risk.”
Also read: WhatsApp username row: Meta explains how the feature works after govt raises concerns
How to stay safe
- Avoid using Hide My Email for accounts that contain highly sensitive information until Apple addresses the issue.
- Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) for all accounts to add an extra layer of security.
- Be careful of unexpected emails asking for personal information or login details.
- Regularly check the email addresses linked to your online accounts and update them if needed.
- Keep your iPhone, iPad and Mac updated so you receive any security patches as soon as Apple releases them.
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Well, this is not the first time Apple’s privacy features have faced questions. For now, there is no evidence that the Hide My Email bug is being widely abused. Even so, users should stay alert and follow basic security practices until Apple releases any information or fixes the issue.
