CERT-In in talks with Apple over 'state-sponsored' spyware attack: Govt

MoS for Electronics and Information Technology, Prasad was responding to a question from Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Raghav Chaddha over alleged state-sponsored hacking in the Rajya Sabha today

The Minister of State (MoS) for Electronics and Information Technology, Jitin Prasada, informed the Rajya Sabha that the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) is in communication with Apple regarding the issue of alleged state-sponsored spyware attacks.

"There is no such thing as state-sponsored hacking or tracking," he said.

Prasad was responding to a question from Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Raghav Chaddha over alleged state-sponsored hacking in the Rajya Sabha today.

He said, "CERT is in touch with Apple and is in the process of getting information from the company about the alerts. Our agencies will act on the information provided".

Raising the issue in the Upper House on Friday, Raghav Chadha said, "I along with several members of this House, particularly who sit in the opposition benches, are victims of something called state-sponsored spyware attack. Whereby our mobile phones notified us that a state-sponsored cyber attack took place which was attempting to infiltrate our mobile phone devices".

"Now members of just not this House including several journalists and eminent people in public life are also victims. Therefore, I ask whether the government has taken cognizance of such attacks. Is there a list of the people who were attacked by such spyware attacks? And thirdly, what action has been taken?" he questioned.