Forbes Magazine is reporting that according to security researcher Jacob Appelbaum, the NSA could install special software onto iPhones as part of a program called DROPOUTJEEP, that provides significant access to user data and other information:
DROPOUTJEEP is a software implant for the Apple iPhone that utilizes modular mission applications to provide specific SIGINT functionality. This functionality includes the ability to remotely push/pull files from the device. SMS retrieval, contact list retrieval, voicemail, geolocation, hot mic, camera capture, cell tower location, etc. Command, control and data exfiltration can occur over SMS messaging or a GPRS data connection. All communications with the implant will be covert and encrypted
The NSA according to leaked documents claims a 100% success rate. Here’s what Appelbaum thinks:
“Do you think Apple helped them build that?” Appelbaum asks at one point in his talk. “I don’t know. I hope Apple will clarify that… Here’s a problem: I don’t really believe that Apple didn’t help them. I can’t really prove it, but they [the NSA] literally claim that anytime they target an iOS device, that it will succeed for implantation. Either they have a huge collection of exploits that work against Apple products, meaning that they are hoarding information about critical systems that American companies produce and sabotaging them, or Apple sabotaged it themselves. Not sure which one it is. I’d like to believe that since Apple didn’t join the PRISM program until after Steve Jobs died, that maybe it’s just that they write shitty software.”
Ouch. That’s harsh.
There’s no comment yet from Apple. But they would be wise to comment on this and quickly.
UPDATE: All Things Digital has posted a comment from Apple denying any knowledge or participation in the above.
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This entry was posted on December 31, 2013 at 9:52 am and is filed under Commentary with tags Apple, NSA, Security. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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Yikes! The NSA Was Able to Capture Live Data From Compromised iPhones [UPDATED]
Forbes Magazine is reporting that according to security researcher Jacob Appelbaum, the NSA could install special software onto iPhones as part of a program called DROPOUTJEEP, that provides significant access to user data and other information:
DROPOUTJEEP is a software implant for the Apple iPhone that utilizes modular mission applications to provide specific SIGINT functionality. This functionality includes the ability to remotely push/pull files from the device. SMS retrieval, contact list retrieval, voicemail, geolocation, hot mic, camera capture, cell tower location, etc. Command, control and data exfiltration can occur over SMS messaging or a GPRS data connection. All communications with the implant will be covert and encrypted
The NSA according to leaked documents claims a 100% success rate. Here’s what Appelbaum thinks:
“Do you think Apple helped them build that?” Appelbaum asks at one point in his talk. “I don’t know. I hope Apple will clarify that… Here’s a problem: I don’t really believe that Apple didn’t help them. I can’t really prove it, but they [the NSA] literally claim that anytime they target an iOS device, that it will succeed for implantation. Either they have a huge collection of exploits that work against Apple products, meaning that they are hoarding information about critical systems that American companies produce and sabotaging them, or Apple sabotaged it themselves. Not sure which one it is. I’d like to believe that since Apple didn’t join the PRISM program until after Steve Jobs died, that maybe it’s just that they write shitty software.”
Ouch. That’s harsh.
There’s no comment yet from Apple. But they would be wise to comment on this and quickly.
UPDATE: All Things Digital has posted a comment from Apple denying any knowledge or participation in the above.
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This entry was posted on December 31, 2013 at 9:52 am and is filed under Commentary with tags Apple, NSA, Security. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.