Apple cybersecurity team meets CERT-In over Opposition leaders' iPhone security alerts

Apple’s cybersecurity team engaged in discussions with India’s cybersecurity watchdog, CERT-In, addressing concerns related to warning notifications received by certain opposition leaders. The meeting aimed to explore the allegations made by several political figures who claimed to have received alerts from Apple, cautioning them about potential “state-sponsored attackers” attempting to compromise their iPhones remotely. These leaders have raised suspicions of government involvement in alleged hacking incidents. Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology (Meity), emphasized the need for Apple to respond to the notice, highlighting the responsibility of their global cybersecurity team in this matter. The meeting between the Apple team and CERT-In took was scheduled to take place by the end of November. An official source revealed that the CERT-In will now compile a comprehensive report based on their findings from the meeting. “There is no fixed deadline for the submission of the report. CERT-In will submit the report after completing their investigation,” stated the official. Among the Members of Parliament (MPs) who reported receiving the warning notifications on their iPhones are notable figures such as Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Shashi Tharoor, Pawan Khera, K C Venugopal, Supriya Shrinate, T S Singhdeo, Bhupinder S Hooda, Mahua Moitra of Trinamool Congress, Sitaram Yechury of CPI(M), and Akhilesh Yadav of SP. Additionally, alerts were received by Priyanka Chaturvedi of Shiv Sena (UBT), Raghav Chadha of Aam Aadmi Party, Asaduddin Owaisi of AIMIM, and associates of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi. This ongoing investigation raises concerns about the intersection of cybersecurity, politics, and technology, as authorities work to ensure the security and privacy of public figures in the digital age. (With inputs from agencies)