Russia claimed that Apple’s iPhones were used to spy on its citizens and accused the US of being behind this spying.
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FGS) alleges that the US National Security Agency (NSA) used device malware and device-generated backdoors to carry out a conspiracy to spy on citizens and the government.
FGS said in a statement to Sputnik International, a Russian state news outlet, that the United States had hacked thousands of Apple phones, including those of Russian subscribers, and discovered it while securing Russian telecommunications infrastructure. “Anomalies have been detected from the operation of previously unknown malware that exploits manufacturer-supplied software vulnerabilities that are unique to Apple mobile phone users,” FGS said.
In addition, FGS also claimed that the NSA targeted the phones of foreign diplomats in Russia, including diplomats from Israel, Syria and China. “Apple provides a wide range of opportunities for American intelligence agencies to monitor White House interests and their partners in anti-Russian activities and their own citizens,” FGS said in a statement, as reported by Apple Insider.
FGS said the alleged conspiracy to monitor iPhone devices demonstrates close cooperation between Apple and the NSA, and the Kremlin and Russia’s foreign ministry added that the matter is of high importance.
“Secret data collection was carried out through software vulnerabilities in US-made mobile phones,” the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement. The statement continues: “US intelligence services have been using IT giants for decades to collect personal data of internet users without their knowledge.”
Russia often makes these accusations
Russia is known to support propaganda accusing other countries of espionage attempts, and this time its claims don’t seem to be in line with Apple’s history of protecting user data either. Apple flatly denied an FBI court order to unlock the iPhone of San Bernardino mass murderer Syed Farook, who killed 14 people and injured several others, along with his wife, in 2016.
Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, said in an open letter after refusing to unlock the phone that unlocking the phone would threaten the security of the remaining iPhone customers. According to Cook, the FBI had asked Apple to create a new version of the phone’s operating system and basically create a backdoor that would offer anyone with access the ability to unlock any iPhone they physically have.
Cook said of this request “something we think is very dangerous to create” and stated that “creating an iOS version that bypasses security in this way would certainly create a backdoor.” “Although the government claims that its use will be limited to this case, there is no way to guarantee such control,” he continued.
The White House and NSA did not publicly respond to Russia’s accusations, but reiterated on the Apple website that “it does not create a backdoor or master key to any of our products or services”: “We have also never allowed the government direct access to Apple servers. And we will never allow it.”
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