Apple Alert: India’s Opposition Accuses Government of Attempting Phone Hacking

Following Apple’s Alert, Several Indian Opposition Leaders Suspect Government of Phone Hacking Attempt

Apple Alert Unveils Political Controversy in India

Apple’s recent alert to a group of Indian opposition politicians and journalists, warning them that they were potentially the targets of state-sponsored attackers, has ignited a political storm in India. While Apple did not specify the identity of these attackers, the Indian government has categorically dismissed the allegations, calling them “destructive politics.” In this article, we will delve into the implications of this Apple alert, its broader context in the country’s political landscape, and the ongoing debate surrounding government surveillance and the use of spyware.

The controversy began when several prominent opposition figures in India received the ominous message from Apple. The list of recipients included Members of Parliament such as Shashi Tharoor and KC Venugopal from the Congress party, Mahua Moitra from the Trinamool Congress, and Priyanka Chaturvedi from the Shiv Sena UBT. Even Congress leader Rahul Gandhi stated that individuals working in his office received the alert.

However, the opposition’s response to this alert was far from what the potential attackers may have expected. Rahul Gandhi, in a defiant tone, declared, “We are not scared. You can do as much phone tapping as you want, I don’t care. If you want to take my phone, I will give it to you.” This sentiment was echoed by many other recipients of the alert, who saw it as a challenge to their freedom and privacy.

Even some journalists, like Siddharth Varadarajan, the founding editor of the news website The Wire, reported receiving the message. It’s important to note that no members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had confirmed receiving the notification at the time, which led to some in the opposition speculating about the selectiveness of the alert.

As the controversy grew, federal Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw took to social media, stating that the government had asked Apple to provide “real, accurate information on the alleged state-sponsored attacks.” The government’s stance was clear: they needed more concrete evidence before acknowledging any potential threat.

In response to the situation, Apple emphasized that “state-sponsored attackers are very well-funded and sophisticated.” They explained that these attackers target a “very small number of specific individuals and their devices” and warned that providing more details about the criteria for issuing threat notifications could help attackers evade detection in the future.

Technology analyst Prasanto K Roy shed some light on the technical aspect of these alerts, explaining that companies like Apple look for patterns of activity to detect large-scale, coordinated malware attacks. While it is technically possible to attribute such attacks to a specific country or even state-sponsored agencies, companies like Apple typically avoid pointing fingers at specific actors.

As the day unfolded, more BJP members confirmed receiving the alert, blurring the lines between opposition and government figures in this high-stakes drama. The controversy was further fueled when Aam Aadmi Party MP Raghav Chadha, who also received the alert, connected it to the upcoming general election, suggesting that it may be part of broader attacks on the opposition, who have faced relentless repression from investigative agencies and politically motivated criminal cases.

The BJP vehemently denied any involvement, labeling the opposition’s allegations as “baseless.” Amit Malviya, who oversees the BJP’s IT department, accused the opposition of creating these allegations due to a lack of substantive issues to criticize the government. The debate over the Apple alert continued to escalate, with opposition leaders, like Priyanka Chaturvedi, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to investigate who within the state might be attempting to access their phones.

This incident is not isolated; it is part of a broader pattern of surveillance concerns in India. In 2019, WhatsApp filed a lawsuit alleging that Indian journalists and activists were among the targets of Pegasus, a powerful surveillance software created by the Israeli firm NSO Group. NSO Group has claimed that it only works with government agencies, emphasizing the use of their software for legitimate security purposes.

In 2021, Indian news website The Wire reported that more than 300 phone numbers listed in a leaked database belonged to Indians. These numbers were allegedly clients of NSO Group and raised further concerns about government surveillance. The leaked database suggested that individuals from various walks of life may have been subject to surveillance.

Moreover, in 2022, a political storm erupted following a report in The New York Times that India had acquired Pegasus from Israel as part of a defense deal in 2017. The government vehemently denied purchasing the spyware, which is known for its ability to infect smartphones without the user’s knowledge and access virtually all their data.

The Apple alert has resurfaced these concerns and added a new layer to the ongoing debate about government surveillance and the use of spyware in India. It raises questions about the potential targets, the motivations behind these surveillance activities, and the extent to which privacy and personal freedoms may be compromised in the name of national security.

The incident highlights the delicate balance between security and privacy in a digital age. While governments have a legitimate interest in safeguarding national security, it is crucial to ensure that surveillance measures are conducted within the bounds of the law and do not infringe upon the rights and privacy of citizens.

The opposition’s reaction to the Apple alert underscores the deep mistrust between political parties and the government in India. The use of surveillance tools and the potential targeting of opposition figures further exacerbate political tensions in a country with a diverse and often polarized political landscape.

In conclusion, the Apple alert in India has become a focal point of the broader debate surrounding government surveillance, the use of spyware, and the delicate balance between national security and personal privacy. As the controversy unfolds, it remains to be seen how this incident will impact the country’s political landscape and the measures taken to ensure the security and privacy of its citizens. The allegations, denials, and investigations that follow will undoubtedly shape the narrative of surveillance and privacy in the digital age.

By: M Z Hossain, Editor Sky Buzz Feed