Russia bans iPhone for its officials, for fear of espionage
As of July 17, 2023, Russia prohibits its officials from using an iPhone. This is a reality for thousands of people, says the FinancialTimes.
No more iPhones for Russian officials
Russian authorities have banned iPhones and even other Apple products (depending on the case) from a large number of employees and officials following allegations of a spy operation carried out using these devices. The ban affects several important government sectors, including the Ministries of Commerce and Digital Development, as well as Rostec, a state-owned company that focuses on high-tech industrial products for the civilian and military sectors.
In the case of Rostec, iPhones are no longer authorized for professional use. On the other hand, phones can still be used for personal purposes.
The move follows heightened fears on the side of Russia and the FSB about a possible increase in espionage activities by US intelligence agencies against Russian state institutions. The FSB and officials “really believe that the Americans can use their equipment for wiretapping”, explained security expert Andrey Soldatov. He adds that if the FSB “has long been concerned about the use of iPhones for professional contacts”there might be some resistance to change.
Russian government officials have said iPhones are no longer considered safe, encouraging the search for alternatives. The move follows a decree issued last year by Vladimir Putin, which required organizations involved in critical information infrastructure to switch to domestically developed software by 2025.
Apple has denied any espionage
Last month, the FSB claimed that the US National Security Agency had used backdoors in the iPhone, with Apple believed to have had a hand in creating the backdoors. But Apple quickly denied the FSB’s claims, insisting the company “has never worked with a government to insert a backdoor into an Apple product and never will”.
