iPhone 'Hack' Alert: Centre Orders Probe, Asks Apple To Join As Govt 'Serious' On Protection Of Privacy

The BJP earlier said that the allegations were for Apple to verify after the opposition accused the Centre of trying to "snoop" into the devices of several leaders.

Union Minister for Communications, Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Viashnaw ( Image Source :PTI )

Union Minister for Communications, Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Viashnaw on Tuesday addressed a press conference after the opposition accused the government of "snooping" following an alert on their iPhone devices that "state-sponsored attackers may be targeting your iPhone". Speaking on the issue, the minister said that a prone into the issue has been ordered as the government is serious and will get to the "bottom" of it.

"The government is concerned over the issue. We have already ordered an investigation and will get to the root of the issue. I would also like to add that there are some compulsive critics in the country who have a habit of criticising (the government) over every issue. They do not want the country's development," he said.

VIDEO | "The government is concerned over the issue. We have already ordered an investigation and will get to the root of the issue. I would also like to add that there are some compulsive critics in the country who have a habit of criticising (the government) over every issue.… pic.twitter.com/RKePKi0owv

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 31, 2023

Vaishaw added that Apple has issued this advisory in 150 countries.

Parliamentarians Mahua Moitra, Shashi Tharoor and Asaduddin Owaisi took to X, formerly Twitter, to share the screengrab of the alert.

IT Minister Vaishnaw took to X and said that most of the information provided by Apple on the alerts seems "vague" and "non-specific". The minister, in a series of post, said the government has asked Apple to join the probe with "real, accurate information on the alleged state-sponsored attacks". 

"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," he said.

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.(3/5)

— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) October 31, 2023

"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 added.

The Union 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. (5/5)

— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) October 31, 2023

"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 added.

Soon after the matter came forth, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addressed a press conference and said that it was all being done as soon as the opposition "touched" Gautam Adani. He said that the businessman is at the top of the government and is followed by PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Apple has now replied to the row and said it was not possible for them to provide information about what causes them to issue threat notifications, as that may help "state-sponsored attackers adapt their behavior to evade detection in the future".

"Apple does not attribute the threat notifications to any specific state-sponsored attacker. State-sponsored attackers are very well-funded and sophisticated, and their attacks evolve over time. Detecting such attacks relies on threat intelligence signals that are often imperfect and incomplete. It’s possible that some Apple threat notifications may be false alarms, or that some attacks are not detected. We are unable to provide information about what causes us to issue threat notifications, as that may help state-sponsored attackers adapt their behavior to evade detection in the future," the statement read, as quoted by ANI.