Apple recalls Verizon iPads

Apple confirmed to AllThingsD that it has recalled a small number of Verizon iPad 2 models after the products were inadvertently shipped with identical electronic serial numbers, according to Cnet.

The numbers, officially known as mobile equipment identifiers (MEIDs), are important in the activation of devices that use Verizon's cellular network and are designed to be unique to the individual device.

“Duplicate MEID numbers were flashed onto an extremely small number of iPad 2 units for the Verizon 3G network,” an Apple representative said. Although most of the small number of devices involved were still in the process of hitting the market, a few had already found their way into customers' hands.

The Obama administration is leading a global effort to establish “shadow” Internet and cellphone systems to help dissidents undermine authoritarian governments, the New York Times reported, states Reuters.

The effort has quickened since former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak's government shut down the country's Internet in the last days of his rule, the Times noted, citing planning documents, classified diplomatic cables and sources.

The Internet has been used in recent months by anti-government protesters in North Africa and the Middle East to help coordinate demonstrations. Some governments have responded by disabling Internet access.

The institutions that govern the European Union (EU) have set up a team, dubbed the Computer Emergency Response pre-configuration Team (CERT), to help fight the threat of cyber attacks, says Computing.co.uk.

The institutions comprise seven distinct bodies, including the European Parliament and the European Council.

CERT is made up of IT security experts from each of the EU institutions. The EU first committed itself to establishing the team in the Digital Agenda for Europe released last August.

The personal details of thousands of people have been stolen after hackers targeted British games developer Codemasters, writes the BBC.

The firm described the data theft as “significant” saying names, addresses, phone numbers and dates of birth were all taken on 3 June.

However, it said payment details were not compromised. The latest security breach comes in the midst of a spate of hacker attacks, including several against Sony.