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Indian government asks Apple to join probe on hacking alert, calls firm's information 'vague'

by Trans World Features | @twfindia 31 Oct 2023, 08:59 am

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday expressed concern over threat notifications from iPhone maker Apple Inc. warning some Opposition members of a potential ‘state-sponsored attack’ and said the government will investigate the matter.

He said IT major Apple has been directed to join the probe.

"We are concerned by the statements we have seen in media from some MPs as well as others about a notification received by them from Apple. The notification received by them as per media reports mentions about ‘state-sponsored attacks’ on their devices. However much of information by Apple on this issue seems vague and non-specific in nature. Apple states these notifications maybe based on information which is ‘incomplete or imperfect’. It also states that some Apple threat notifications maybe false alarms or some attacks are not detected," the Indian Minister wrote on X.

"Apple has also claimed that Apple IDs are securely encrypted on devices, making it extremely difficult to access or identify them without the user's explicit permission. This encryption safeguards the user's Apple ID and ensures that it remains private and protected," he said.

Speaking on investigation, the Minister said: "The Government of Bharat takes its role of protecting the privacy and security of all citizens very seriously and will investigate to get to the bottom of these notifications."

"In light of such information and widespread speculation, we have also asked Apple to join the investigation with real, accurate information on the alleged state-sponsored attacks," he said.

In a fresh political faceoff with the Centre, several opposition leaders including Congress' Shashi Tharoor, Trinamool Congress' Mahua Moitra, Shiv Sena's Priyanka Chaturvedi claimed a "state-sponsored" hacking attempt  citing a notification which they received on their Apple phones.

The notification read, "ALERT: State-sponsored attackers may be targeting your iPhone..."

Sharing a screenshot on X, Tharoor wrote, "Received from an Apple ID, threat-notifications@apple.com, which I have verified. Authenticity confirmed. Glad to keep underemployed officials busy at the expenses of taxpayers like me! Nothing more important to do?"

Tharoor tagged the X profiles of the Prime Minister's Office, Congress, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and top leader Rahul Gandhi.

Moitra posted on X, "Received text & email from Apple warning me Govt trying to hack into my phone & email. @HMOIndia- get a life. Adani & PMO bullies - your fear makes me pity you. @priyankac19- you, I , & 3 other INDIAns have got it so far."