Prominent figures from various Opposition parties, including TMC’s Mahua Moitra, Shiv Sena’s Priyanka Chaturvedi, Congress stalwarts Shashi Tharoor and Pawan Khera, along with AAP’s Raghav Chadha, have disclosed receiving alerts from Apple cautioning about potential state-sponsored cyber attacks on their phones. Rahul Gandhi, addressing a press briefing, noted that this advisory extended to several individuals within the Congress, such as KC Venugopal, Supriya, and SP’s Akhilesh Yadav.
He contended that the government is employing diversionary tactics. Responding to allegations of phone hacking by the Centre, BJP leader and SC Advocate Nalin Kohli posed the question, “How can we assume that the Government of India has done this?” Former Union IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad advised the concerned leaders to officially lodge complaints with Apple rather than casting aspersions on the government.
Drawing from his own experience, he emphasized the standard procedure of involving CERT-In, an emergency response team, when addressing such matters.
In the midst of swirling claims and allegations, Apple has released a statement clarifying that the threat notifications issued are not directly attributed to any particular state-sponsored assailant. The tech giant emphasized the formidable resources and sophistication at the disposal of state-sponsored attackers, highlighting the evolving nature of their methods.
Apple acknowledged the inherent challenges in pinpointing such attacks, relying on threat intelligence signals that may be inherently flawed or incomplete.
The statement also acknowledged the possibility of occasional false alarms and the potential for undetected attacks.
Furthermore, Apple expressed its reluctance to divulge specific details about the triggers for these threat notifications, as it could potentially aid state-sponsored attackers in evading detection in the future.
What did ‘State-sponsored’ attack message from Apple state? (Reports)
The message from Apple received to the opposition leaders read, “Apple believes you are being targeted by state-sponsored attackers who are trying to remotely compromise the iPhone associated with your Apple ID (email id). These attackers are likely targeting you individually because of who you are or what you do.”
These attackers are likely targeting you individually because of who you are or what you do. If your device is compromised by a state-sponsored attacker, they may be able to remotely access your sensitive data, communications, or even the camera and microphone. While it’s possible this is a false alarm, please take this warning seriously, it further read.
Rahul Gandhi Asserts Opposition’s Resolve Amidst Apple’s Warning
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in a bold stance against the BJP government, responded to Apple’s caution regarding potential state-sponsored attacks on Opposition leaders’ iPhones.
Gandhi emphasized that the Opposition remains unfazed by the prospect of phone tapping, as they collectively received notifications from Apple regarding the perceived threat. Names including KC Venugopal, Pawan Khera, Sitaram Yechury, Priyanka Chaturvedi, TS Singh Deo, Mahua Moitra, and Raghav Chaddha were among those who received the alert.
Gandhi went on to express his willingness to surrender his own phone, underlining their steadfast commitment to the fight.
Furthermore, he pointed out his belief that the Modi government’s influence lies in the hands of the Adani Group, asserting that Adani holds sway even over Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah.
Gandhi reiterated his claim that the Prime Minister serves Adani’s interests and highlighted the direct link between the BJP government and Adani’s financial system.
Despite these allegations, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw rejected the notion of government-sponsored hacking, ordering a comprehensive investigation into the matter.