The Indian government has expressed concern over a notification that Apple reportedly sent to some MPs warning them of state-sponsored attacks on their devices.
“We are concerned by the statements we have seen in the media from some MPs as well as others about a notification received by them from Apple,” said Minister for Railways, Communications, Electronics & Information Technology, Government of Bharat, Ashwini Vaishnaw in a statement. The notification received by them as per media reports mentions ‘state-sponsored attacks’ on their devices.
The minister said that the government is taking the matter seriously and is investigating it. “We are in touch with Apple to understand the basis of this notification,” the spokesperson said. “We have also asked them to share any information they have with us so that we can take appropriate action.”
The government’s statement comes after several MPs, including opposition leaders, said that they had received notifications from Apple warning them of state-sponsored attacks on their devices. The MPs said that the notifications did not specify which country was behind the attacks.
The government’s investigation into the matter is expected to focus on whether Apple has any evidence to support its claim that the MPs’ devices were targeted by state-sponsored attackers. The government is also likely to investigate whether the attackers were able to successfully hack into the MPs’ devices or steal any data.
The incident has raised concerns about the security of MPs’ devices and the data they contain. The government has advised MPs to take steps to protect their devices, such as using strong passwords and installing security software.
Which MPs have been warned of state-sponsored attacks on their Apple devices?
- Mahua Moitra (Trinamool Congress)
- Raghav Chadha (Aam Aadmi Party)
- Shashi Tharoor (Congress)
- Pawan Khera (Congress)
- Priyanka Chaturvedi (Shiv Sena – Uddhav Thackeray faction)
- Asaduddin Owaisi (All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen) and others
What are state-sponsored attacks?
State-sponsored attacks are cyberattacks that are carried out by governments or other state-affiliated actors. These attacks can be motivated by a variety of factors, including espionage, sabotage, or intimidation.
State-sponsored attackers often have sophisticated resources and expertise, which allows them to carry out complex attacks that are difficult to detect and defend against.