New Delhi: Apple on Tuesday sent alert messages to several opposition leaders, including Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, Congress's Pawan Khera, AAP leader Raghav Chadha, Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi and Sitaram Yechury, warning attacks on their iPhones. The leaders alleged that their mobile phones were being targeted by 'state-sponsored attackers.'
On the claims of receiving hacking warnings, Apple said they can't attribute threat notifications to any specific state-sponsored attacker. They added that the attackers are well-funded and sophisticated, however detecting attacks are often imperfect and incomplete.
In a post on X, Moitra said, "Received text and email from Apple warning me that the government is trying to hack into my phone and email. Home Minister's Office - get a life. Adani and PMO bullies - your fear makes me pity you."
She also tagged Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi and said, "Priyanka Chaturvedi, you and I and three other Indians have got it so far."
Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi was to flag it on Monday night. In a post on X, she said, "Wonder who? Shame on you. Cc: Home Minister's Office for your kind attention."
In another post, she tagged Union Ministers and said, "Kind attention Ashwini Vaishnaw and Rajeev Chandrasekhar."
Khera, who is a Congress Working Committee (CWC) member of the grand old party came forward and said, "Dear Modi Sarkar, why are you doing this?" He also attached a screenshot of the message.
The email titled “ALERT: State-sponsored attackers may be targeting your iPhone. 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,” the warning mail read.
The development comes ahead of the Delhi High Court hearing the defamation suit filed by Trinamool Congress MP Moitra in alleged cash for Parliament questions against BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai on Tuesday.
She has been asked by the Ethics Committee to appear before it on November 2.
Moitra was first asked by the Ethics Committee to appear before it on October 31. Following the first summons, she sent a letter to the Ethics Committee Chairperson Vinod Sonkar saying that she would depose on any date after November 5 after her pre-scheduled constituency programme ends and not on October 31.
The ethics committee is probing BJP MP Dubey's allegations that Moitra accepted cash and favours for asking questions in Lok Sabha on businessman Gautam Adani at the behest of businessman Hiranandani.
On Thursday, Dubey and advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai gave "oral evidence" to the panel against Moitra.
(With IANS inputs)
