FBI orders Gawker Media to preserve documents related to AT&T security breach

In the statement Gawker also clarified that the company believes it’s not a suspect in any way in the ongoing probe launched by FBI to look into the whole matter.

FBI on Thursday officially launched probe to look into the whole issue after Gawker exposed the security glitch in AT&T’s network and the carrier accepted it.

Gawker also published a list that provided names of high-profile iPad users, whose e-mail addresses have been, reportedly, compromised online due to the glitch.

The publisher reported the over 114,000 iPad owners’ e-mail addresses were exposed online that includes top government and military officials and media executives.

Interestingly, this is not the first time that Gawker has been involved in a matter related to Apple. Couple of months ago it came under legal scanner when Gawker’s Gizmodo blog site published images of Apple’s new 4G iPhone offering with in-depth information on the device.

Gawker’s side of story this time
If Gawker Media’s story is to be believed, this scoop was provided by Goatse Security’s hackers, who have initially discovered the flaw.

Gawker also maintained that they did not pay for the scoop. Goatse added that they had tipped AT&T anonymously about the flaw before handing over the documents to Gawker.

In the statement Gawker also clarified that the company believes it’s not a suspect in any way in the ongoing probe launched by FBI to look into the whole matter.

Gaotse wrote in its blog, "We did not sell your data to spammers -- and we did not try to hack your iPads. Your iPads are safer now because of us."

FCC too on the AT&T security breach case
After FBI, FCC (Federal Communications Commission) seems to be taking notice of the security breach issue too.

On Friday a FCC official said that AT&T’s recent failures to safeguard users’ data over its network and Google’s collection of data over its Wi-Fi network are both serious and “worrisome” issues.

Joe Gurin, FCC’s chief of consumer and government affairs, wrote in a blog posting titled 'Consumer View: Staying Safe from Cyber Snoops,' “Our Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau is now addressing cyber security as a high priority.”

"The iPad incident appears to be a classic security breach – the kind that could happen, and has happened, to many companies – and is exactly the kind of incident that has led the FCC to focus on cyber security,” added Gurin.

He went on to add, “The FCC's mission is to ensure that broadband networks are safe and secure, and we're committed to working with all stakeholders to prevent problems like this in the future.”