India: Apple alerts opposition leaders about potential spyware attacks ahead of elections
"‘State-sponsored’ attacks on phones of India opposition leaders, says Apple", 31 October 2023
Apple has warned several Indian opposition leaders and journalists that their iPhones may have been targeted by “state-sponsored attackers”. The technology giant on Tuesday sent messages to those likely hit, saying, “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...
...Among the politicians who received the alert were Trinamool Congress parliamentarian Mahua Moitra, MP and chief of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen party, Asaduddin Owaisi, and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor and its spokespersons, Pawan Khera and Supriya Shrinate...
...“Apple states these notifications may be 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 wrote, adding that the government has asked the company to join its investigation into the allegations.
Apar Gupta, director of the Internet Freedom Foundation, an organisation which advocates for digital rights, said with imminent state assembly elections and the 2024 general elections not far off, the timing of the notifications from Apple was alarming.
“Public cynicism or judicial stupor should not preclude us from demanding an independent, transparent technical analysis and clear disclosures from the government of India regarding its spyware purchases and deployments. This issue strikes at the heart of Indian democracy,” he posted on X.