FBI, Apple investigate Jennifer Lawrence's nude photo hack

The FBI and Apple are investigating the hacking into the phones of Hollywood actress Jennifer Lawrence and several other celebrities after nude photographs of the Oscar-winner were posted online.

Images of the 24-year-old actress began appearing on some websites on Sunday after her iPhone was apparently hacked, said the Hollywood Reporter.

'The FBI is aware of the allegations concerning computer intrusions and the unlawful release of material involving high profile individuals, and is addressing the matter,' a statement from the Federal Bureau of Investigation said.

Apple, meanwhile, said they are looking into the claims that the photographs were stolen from the celebrities' iCloud system.

'We take user privacy very seriously and are actively investigating this report,' Nat Kerris, Apple spokeswoman, said

in a statement.

Lawrence's publicist had called the leaked photographs 'a flagrant violation of privacy' and said that the authorities had been contacted.

Anonymous user claimed to have photographs of 100 other celebrities including models Kate Upton and Cara Delevingne.

Upton's attorney Lawrence Shire called the leak an 'outrageous violation' of the model's privacy.

'We intend to pursue anyone disseminating or duplicating these illegally obtained images to the fullest extent possible,' he added.

It is not the first time that Hollywood celebrities have been at the receiving end of hackers. A man named Christopher Chaney was sentenced to 10 years in jail in 2012 after pleading guilty to hacking into the email accounts of stars like Scarlett Johansson and posting their nude photographs online.