In a developing story, prominent leaders from India’s opposition parties have raised serious concerns over potential spyware threats, while the government has pledged to investigate the allegations. The issue revolves around a warning issued by Apple to several political leaders, senior journalists, and policy influencers, indicating that their iPhones may have been targeted by “state-sponsored attackers.”
The opposition leaders, alarmed by the warnings, have accused the Union government of failing to address the issue or, in some cases, potentially aiding such cyber intrusions. Several key figures who received the alerts have taken up the matter with public institutions.
Opposition Leaders Express Outrage
Sitaram Yechury, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), was among those who received the warning from Apple. He penned a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, registering his protest and emphasizing the violation of fundamental rights. Yechury asserted that he had “nothing to hide” to warrant such surveillance and raised concerns that the intention behind these actions may be to plant fabricated information on his devices to incriminate him.
Moreover, Mahua Moitra, a Member of Parliament from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), who also received a threat notification from Apple, announced her intention to write to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, seeking an inquiry into the matter involving Union Home Ministry officials.
Rahul Gandhi, the Member of Parliament from Wayanad and a prominent figure in the Indian National Congress, held a press conference, suggesting a connection between those targeted and their previous criticism of the influential role of the Adani Group in the government’s functioning. He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s connection to Adani was the driving force behind these cyber threats.
Government’s Response and Apple’s Clarification
The Union government has stated its commitment to investigating the allegations. Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Union Minister for Electronics & Information Technology, expressed concern about Apple’s notifications but found the information provided by Apple to be vague and non-specific. He called on Apple to join the investigation with “real, accurate information.”
In a clarification, Apple stated that it does not attribute the threat notifications to any specific state-sponsored attacker. The company emphasized that detecting such attacks relies on imperfect and incomplete threat intelligence signals, which may lead to false alarms or undetected attacks. Apple’s threat notifications are designed to inform and assist users who may have been targeted by state-sponsored attackers.
This incident is not the first time the threat of cyberattacks allegedly conducted by the government has come to light. In 2021, a global media expose alleged the use of Israeli spyware Pegasus to target prominent figures in several countries, including India.
The situation remains under scrutiny as the government investigates the allegations and opposition leaders demand transparency and accountability. The evolving story underscores the growing concerns about cybersecurity and privacy in India’s political landscape.
