Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has announced the discovery of an alleged American espionage operation involving sophisticated surveillance software that compromised thousands of iPhones. Moscow-based cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab confirmed that numerous devices belonging to its employees were compromised during the operation. The FSB stated that several thousand Apple devices, including those of Russian subscribers and foreign diplomats in Russia and the former Soviet Union, were infected.
According to the FSB, the operation revealed “close cooperation” between Apple and the US National Security Agency (NSA), responsible for cryptographic and communications intelligence. However, no evidence was provided to substantiate claims of Apple’s involvement. Apple vehemently denied the allegations, stating that it has never collaborated with any government to insert backdoors into its products.
Kaspersky CEO Eugene Kaspersky confirmed on Twitter that dozens of his employees’ phones were compromised. Kaspersky Lab described the attack as a highly sophisticated, targeted cyberattack aimed at top and middle-management personnel. The company discovered anomalous network traffic on its corporate wi-fi network earlier this year and shared its findings with Russia’s Computer Emergency Response Team.
Kaspersky revealed that the earliest traces of infection dated back to 2019 and stated that the attack was ongoing as of June 2023. While Kaspersky employees were affected, the company believes it was not the primary target. The FSB claimed that the American hackers targeted diplomats from Israel, Syria, China, and NATO member countries, but officials from these countries either declined to comment or were not immediately available for comment.
Both the Kremlin and Russia’s foreign ministry highlighted the significance of the matter. The foreign ministry stated that hidden data collection occurred through software vulnerabilities in US-made mobile phones, accusing US intelligence services of using IT corporations to collect extensive user data without their knowledge. Russian officials uncovered the plot through a joint effort between FSB officers and the Federal Guards Service (FSO), which manages Kremlin security and was previously the KGB’s Ninth Directorate.
Russian authorities have long been skeptical about the security of US technology. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that officials in the presidential administration were aware that devices like iPhones were “absolutely transparent.” Earlier this year, the Kremlin reportedly instructed officials involved in preparations for the 2024 presidential election to stop using Apple iPhones due to concerns about vulnerabilities to Western intelligence agencies.
