New Delhi: As multiple Opposition leaders Tuesday said they had received Apple alerts warning that their iPhones were being targeted by “state-sponsored attackers”, Information and Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the central government has ordered a probe into the allegations.
“The government is very concerned about this issue and will get to the bottom of it,” he said, while taking a swipe at the country’s “compulsive critics”.
“These critics have a habit of criticising about any issue the moment they open their eyes. They don’t see the country’s progress, because when their families ruled India, they only wanted to loot,” he added.
Vaishnaw said the Apple advisory Opposition leaders claim to have received has also been issued in 150 countries. “If you see the Apple mail it is clear they don’t have clear information about this. They send these alerts on the basis of hypotheses or an estimate.”
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
Several Opposition leaders said they received a notification from Apple overnight, warning that their iPhones may have been hacked by “state-sponsored attackers”.
Among these leaders were Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, AAP MP Raghav Chadha, Congress MP K.C. Venugopal and CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury.
As allegations and counter-allegations played out, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the government of snooping because these leaders had allegedly targeted billionaire businessman Gautam Adani.
Yechury said the message clearly stated that his phone was being hacked by state-sponsored attackers, which was “difficult to handle” because it was not a normal cyber attack. “This constitutes an absolute assault on the democratic rights guaranteed by the Constitution of India. The right to privacy is a fundamental right reiterated by the Supreme Court. This is a surveillance state under the Modi government,” the Left leader said.
VIDEO | "I got this alert last night, wherein it was clearly stated that your phone is being hacked by state-sponsored hackers. This constitutes an absolute assault on the democratic rights guaranteed by the Constitution of India," says CPI(M) leader @SitaramYechury on some… pic.twitter.com/JBC2wulWI9
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 31, 2023
The Apple email reportedly stated these attackers were likely targeting them “because of who you are or what you do”. The company claimed the warning may be a “false alarm”, but nonetheless urged politicians and journalists to take it seriously.
Apple also said it could not attribute the threat notifications to any specific state-sponsored attacker.
Meanwhile, the BJP has said Apple should clarify about the alerts it has sent out to Opposition leaders, and rejected snooping allegations against the government as “baseless and false”.
Party leader and former Union IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the Opposition leaders should take up the matter with Apple and lodge FIRs.
Also read: Proof of govt spying? ‘State-sponsored’ cyberattacks & what Apple alerts to Indian Oppn leaders mean