Got it...thanks!
(Aside: I wonder what the hacker had in mind as respects contacting him? [I wonder if he unwittingly targeted himself?])
When I opened my laptop [...] the screen went gray, and asked for a four digit pin.
That sounds like the hacker set an Open Firmware password...surprised that AppleCare couldn't at least guess at it.
Anyhow, many thanks for posting the story; I echo your and tacit's sentiments about iCloud and am beginning to regret not having bought a back-up Mac capable of running Snowy (
, but only maybe), because I foresee Apple's implementation of iCloud becoming faaar more invasive than I've got any inclination to deal with.
As I've said before, it's beginning to look like Apple is running in a time frame that has nothing to do with reality.
Edit: The DIMMS in some newer model Macs are soldered to their logic boards and cannot be removed to defeat a maliciously set Open Firmware password if that remains the only way.
