"State Sponsored Attackers..." Oppn MPs Allege Govt Hand After Apple Warning

Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) in India on Tuesday received a warning from Apple that “state sponsored attackers may be targeting” their iPhones. A handful of opposition MPs including Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, Trinamool Congress’ Mahua Moitra and Congress’ Pawan Khera and Shahsi Tharoor too to X to share the alert message from Apple received on their iPhones.

The message read, “ALERT: State-sponsored attackers may be targeting your iPhone,” the message received by MPs from “threat-notifications@apple.com” said. “Apple believes you are being targeted by state- sponsored attackers who are trying to remotely compromise the iPhone associated with your Apple ID. These attackers are likely targeting you individually because of who you are or what you do. If your device is compromised by a state-sponsored attacker, they may be able to remotely access your sensitive data, communications, or even the camera and microphone. While it’s possible this is a false alarm, please take this warning seriously.”

Sharing a screenshot of the same, Priyanka Chaturvedi wrote, “Wonder who? Shame on you.Cc: @HMOIndia for your kind attention.”

Wonder who? Shame on you.
Cc: @HMOIndia for your kind attention pic.twitter.com/COUJyisRDk

— Priyanka Chaturvedi🇮🇳 (@priyankac19) October 30, 2023

Meanwhile, Mahua Moitra wrote, “Received text & email from Apple warning me Govt trying to hack into my phone & email.  @HMOIndia - get a life. Adani & PMO bullies -  your fear makes me pity you. @priyankac19  - you, I , & 3 other INDIAns have got it so far.”

Received text & email from Apple warning me Govt trying to hack into my phone & email. @HMOIndia - get a life. Adani & PMO bullies - your fear makes me pity you. @priyankac19 - you, I , & 3 other INDIAns have got it so far . pic.twitter.com/2dPgv14xC0

— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) October 31, 2023

“Received from an Apple ID, threat-notifications@apple.com, which I have verified. Authenticity confirmed. Glad to keep underemployed officials busy at the expenses of taxpayers like me! Nothing more important to do?” wrote Shashi Tharoor.

Received from an Apple ID, threat-notifications@apple.com, which I have verified. Authenticity confirmed. Glad to keep underemployed officials busy at the expenses of taxpayers like me! Nothing more important to do?@PMOIndia @INCIndia @kharge @RahulGandhi pic.twitter.com/5zyuoFmaIa

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) October 31, 2023

An Apple support document published on the company’s website in August, 2023 mentions, “Apple threat notifications are designed to inform and assist users who may have been targeted by state-sponsored attackers. These users are individually targeted because of who they are or what they do.”

“Unlike traditional cybercriminals, state-sponsored attackers apply exceptional resources to target a very small number of specific individuals and their devices, which makes these attacks much harder to detect and prevent,” the document read.

Also Read: ‘Centre Did Not Cooperate’: SC on Pegasus Spyware Petition