IOS
 iOS  (Operating system)   | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Start | 2007-06-29 |
| The operating system used by Apple | |
iOS is a closed source operating system used by Apple. From the earliest versions on, IOS did collect private information,[1] (including location data)[2][3][4] without informing the users.
iMessage
Mid 2023 Kaspersky reported about a hack that targeted IOS devices of their mid to upper management with an exploit that was using iMessage as a way into the system.[5][6][7] It may be a dedicated backdoor not fixed/left open on purpose by Apple,[8] or one which can be activated through SIM card exploits over time, even if iMessage was initially turned off in settings.[citation needed]
CIA
In 2017, leaks from WikiLeaks' Vault 7 titled Dark Matter" exposed that the CIA has been bugging "factory fresh iPhones since at least 2008 through suppliers. The infections were on the firmware (meaning they persist even if the operating system is re-installed) developed by the CIA's Embedded Development Branch (EDB). Also included in the release was the manual for the CIA's "NightSkies 1.2" a "beacon/loader/implant tool" for the Apple iPhone. Noteworthy is that NightSkies had reached 1.2 by 2008, and was expressly designed to be physically installed onto factory fresh iPhones.[9]
References
- ↑ https://www.zdnet.com/article/apple-data-collection-stored-request/
- ↑ https://www.themarysue.com/iphone-tracking/
- ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2011/apr/20/iphone-tracking-prompts-privacy-fears
- ↑ https://www.wired.com/2011/04/apple-iphone-tracking/
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Triangulation
- ↑ https://securelist.com/operation-triangulation/109842/
- ↑ https://www.reuters.com/technology/russias-fsb-says-us-nsa-penetrated-thousands-apple-phones-spy-plot-2023-06-01/
- ↑ some articles, like this 2019 piece from Wired, make a point that while flaws exist, Apple does invest into fixing problems .. but it should be noted that the security researcher which gets cited says that there is a design/conceptual issue with iMessage that can likely not be overcome with respect to security - and iMessage can not be uninstalled
- ↑ https://wikileaks.org/vault7/darkmatter/?cia
