The bulk of the damage was done as a result of the breach in Apple's security - all the Amazon breach did was give the attacker the last 4 digits of a card, which is not super private anyway. It isn't 100% fair - and to be clear, processes at both companies were pretty poor - but I don't think people are out to get Apple here.
And, while Apple is very good, they are nowhere near perfect - especially when it comes to online services. Apple fans playing the victim card for them is just as tiring as people jumping all over them when they slip up.
> all the Amazon breach did was give the attacker the last 4 digits of a card, which is not super private anyway.
Precisely. Go to any mall, restaurant, or shopping center in the U.S. and you're bound to find at least one discarded receipt with the last four digits of the shopper's credit card number on it, possibly with their name and/or signature.
But that's the fault of the shopper for not policing their information properly, in this case it wasn't Honan's fault that his last 4 leaked. The last 4 still shouldn't be given out over the phone, ever, most companies have a policy of not confirming any card detail on their system on the phone in the UK.
No, I'm arguing that Amazon is at fault for handing out card details willy nilly, Apple is at fault for not training their CS staff to, in the word's of House, assume everybody lies.
This is crazy and creepy, but during weekends, one could possibly stalk out at malls looking for people discarding receipts. Pick it up and hurry towards them. When you accost them, mention in no unclear terms "Sir/Ma'am, with this receipt I'll be able to wipe your iDevice".
The subways I worked at in college had the full credit card number on the store duplicate that all the clerks were required to collect. We dropped a couple dropbags full of these little receipts into the safe at the end of the day.
And, while Apple is very good, they are nowhere near perfect - especially when it comes to online services. Apple fans playing the victim card for them is just as tiring as people jumping all over them when they slip up.