Apple notified several journalists and politicians that their phones may have been targeted by state-sponsored attacks.
This statement was originally published on SFLC’s Facebook page on 31 October 2023.
Reports of state-sponsored hacking of mobile devices belonging to notable public figures, including 5 sitting Members of Parliament, are deeply disturbing. If the reports are true, the weaponization of such spyware to quell dissent, and clamp down on journalists and political figures does not bode well for a democracy.
MPs Priyanka Chaturvedi, Pawan Khera and Mahua Moitra posted online regarding an alert from Apple, Co. that “state-sponsored attackers may be targeting” their IOS devices. Such targeted attacks are sophisticated in nature, making it difficult to defend against.
Mobile phones contain vast amounts of personal data and any unwarranted intrusions constitute a gross violation of the owner’s right to privacy. They are qualitatively and quantitatively different from any other object in our lives. If hacked, a host of personal information such as their private interests, photographs, health data, location and browsing history is laid bare to the attacker.
In 2021, Pegasus spyware was reportedly used to attack several prominent public figures, journalists, and MPs, including, Prashant Kishor, Rahul Gandhi, Alok Verma, amongst others. The Supreme Court had set up a technical committee to inquire into the allegations. The committee found that 5 of 29 phones contained malware, however it could not confirm Pegasus.
Further, Apple’s threat-response protocol may not be equivalent to that of other manufacturers that use the Android OS. As a result, we may only learn of other individuals whose devices have been compromised in due course.
Such attacks, if they are sponsored by Government agencies, are in violation of the safeguards for surveillance as provided in the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the Rules therein as well as the Telegraph Rules.
Software Freedom Law Centre, India (SFLC.in).in’s legal challenge to the operation of state-surveillance program, CMS, NETRA and NATGRID is pending before the Supreme Court. [CPIL & Anr. vs. Union of India & Ors., TP(C) 2567/2023.]
