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Major iCloud bug causes other people’s photos to infiltrate user feeds

Major iCloud bug causes other people’s photos to infiltrate user feeds
Leri Koen

Leri Koen

  • Updated:

Users of iCloud for Windows have discovered an alarming and potentially damaging bug. iCloud for Windows is a simple user client that enables Windows users to sync their photos, videos, contacts, and more with the Apple ecosystem. However, in the last week, there have been multiple user reports stating corrupted files with scan lines and even strangers’ photos in their feeds.

The issue was first brought up on the MacRumors forum, and soon other users responded that they were experiencing the same issue. Users have reported that after recording a video on iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro and downloading it through the iCloud for Windows client, they’ve received corrupted files with scan lines. Some users have even reported seeing other users’ photos in their feeds or, even worse, in their videos. 

Some users have reported seeing images of other families, children, soccer games, and similar images in their feeds and videos. This is extremely alarming and could indicate a major privacy bug within the iCloud system.

Major iCloud bug causes other people’s photos to infiltrate user feeds

“I’ve been shown photos of other people’s families I’ve never seen in my life, soccer games, and other random photos. Obviously, this is extremely concerning and does not exactly make me feel safe using iCloud,” one of the affected users explained.

At the moment, it seems very likely that these images are pulled from other users’ iCloud accounts, which means your photos could end up in another user’s feed or even their videos. What a scary thought, especially if you have private photos stored in your iCloud account. If you have any personal or private photos on iCloud, now might be a good time to remove them and store them in another way.

Deleting the iCloud for Windows app also doesn’t solve the problem, meaning that this issue is based on the server side. At the moment, both Windows 10 and 11 are affected. It also appears to only happen on recordings taken on Apple devices with certain settings like HDR and HEVC enabled.

Multiple users have reported the issue to Apple, but at the moment, they are struggling to recreate the issue on their side. As such, they haven’t released any statements on the issue yet, and we are waiting for any news of a solution. This is not the first Apple privacy concern being raised this week. Earlier today, we also received word that Apple is collecting user data even without permission. Apple users should take steps to protect their privacy, as these issues can be a major privacy breach.

Leri Koen

Leri Koen

Born and raised in South Africa I am the mother of two busy kids and one loving husband. Since leaving school I immediately started working and have been involved in many different industries where I learned a wide range of skills. Some of my skills range from marketing to management and even teaching special needs children, particularly those with severe developmental delays. I am a self-proclaimed holiday nut, taking any chance I can get to decorate and celebrate major holidays such as Easter, Halloween and Christmas, often planning these months in advance! I have a wide range of passions that I persue (as often as I can) such as reading, writing, bonsai, crafting, creating natural beauty products, listening to music and playing games (prefered platforms being PC and Xbox).

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