MOSCOW: Russia has accused the US of being behind a cyberattack on thousands of Apple devices and phones as the cybersecurity company Kaspersky Lab claimed it discovered spyware on iPhones used by its officials.
According to AFP, Russia’s security service accused the US National Security Agency of “close cooperation” with Apple as thousands of phones and devices were “infected” and the phone numbers of people working at Russia’s embassies in foreign countries were leaked.
In a separate statement, Kaspersky claimed its researchers found unknown malware on iOS devices and that many members of its officials were targeted.
The antivirus software producer’s head, Eugene Kaspersky, claimed the devices received an “invisible iMessage” with a malevolent attachment that installed spyware.
He added that the spyware then “silently” conveys private information to remote servers, including mic recordings, images from instant messengers, and other data.
In a statement via social media, he said, “We are confident that Kaspersky was not the target of the cyberattack,”.
Regulators in the US designated Kaspersky a “threat to security” in March 2022 after Russia sent forces into neighbouring country Ukraine. Established in 1997, Kaspersky has been accused of being close ties to Russian intelligence services. The firm has over 400 million customers across the world.
