CERT-In investigates iPhone hacking alert issue; notice sent to Apple
What's the story
The Apple threat notification issue, raised by several Opposition MPs, is now under investigation by the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) and a notice has been sent to the company, as confirmed by IT Secretary S Krishnan.
"CERT-In has started its probe... they (Apple) will cooperate in this probe," said Krishnan.
Opposition leaders, including Congress head Mallikarjun Kharge and Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, reported receiving alerts from Apple, cautioning them about "state-sponsored attackers trying to remotely compromise" their iPhones.
Details
IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw assures thorough investigation
Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, has declared the government's commitment to uncovering the truth behind the threat alerts sent by Apple to various leaders and requested Apple's assistance in the investigation.
Vaishnaw stated in a series of posts on X (previously Twitter), "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."
What Next?
Congress demands parliamentary committee probe
The Congress has called for an inquiry into the Apple threat notification controversy by the Lok Sabha's Standing Committee on Information and Technology.
Congress MP Karti Chidambaram announced his intention to write to the panel's chairperson, Prataprao Jadhav, demanding that Apple be summoned regarding its alerts to politicians about "state-sponsored attacks."
In response, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey emphasized that the panel functions according to Lok Sabha's rules and regulations, not under the control of Shashi Tharoor or Rahul Gandhi.
Insights
Apple's statement on the issue
In light of the commotion surrounding the threat notifications, Apple issued a statement clarifying that it was not attributing the attack to any specific state actor.
The company explained, "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."
The ongoing investigation by CERT-In, the national agency responsible for addressing computer security incidents, is expected to provide more insight into the matter.