Washington, Jul 5 (IANS/EFE): The AntiSec hackers group has launched an ambitious attack on one of the best-protected websites in the world of technology - Apple's - and said they stole 26 usernames and passwords, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday.

The hackers announced the attack on pastebin, a file-sharing website, where they also posted a link to a server used by Apple to process survey data, together with username and password information for the server's 26 administrative personnel.

The accuracy of this data has not been confirmed, and Apple, which has gone eight years without a successful hacker attack, declined to make any immediate comment on the matter.

AntiSec, made up of hackers from the well-known group Anonymous and from the now defunct Lulz Security, seeks to attack governments and large corporations in defense of "freedom and progress", members said.

On its Twitter account, @AnonymousIRC, the group published a link to the pastebin website with the list of usernames and passwords, though they said that with this attack they were "not being so serious" and that the computer giant isn't its main target.

"#Apple could be target, too. But don't worry, we are busy elsewhere," a posting said.

In the last two months AntiSec has attacked other companies, such as the electronics company Sony and telecom giant AT&T, along with federal agencies including the US Senate, the Central Intelligence Agency and the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

That series of attacks led to the dissolution of the Lulz Security group, once they were identified as the culprits.