(CNN) -- An Eastern European gang of hackers bent on stealing company secrets was responsible for recent attacks on Apple, Facebook and Twitter as well as dozens of other less-publicized hacks, according to new reports. Two unnamed "people familiar with the matter" told Bloomberg that the hackers appeared to be looking for research, intellectual property or other private information that they can sell on the underground market. Apple confirmed Tuesday that some of its employees' computers had been compromised after they visited a hacked website for iPhone developers. That site exploited a vulnerability in the Java browser plug-in. Weeks earlier, Facebook said that some of its computers were also compromised after employees visited a developer site.
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Cybersecurity expert says most savvy Web crime originates in Eastern Europe
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Apple, Facebook, Twitter attacks came from Eastern European gang, report says
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"Water hole" attack apparently used a site for developers on Apple's mobile system
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Apple said this week that some employees' computers had been compromised
Earlier in January, @placeholder said it, too, was attacked and that about 250,000 user accounts may have been compromised, with names and e-mails possibly being uncovered.