CPI(M) MP Brittas demands Parliamentary panel meeting over Apple alert to Opposition leaders

New Delhi: CPI(M) MP John Brittas on Wednesday demanded a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information and Technology to “comprehensively examine” the issue of potential hacking of Opposition leaders’ iPhones by “state-sponsored attackers”.

Brittas’ letter to panel chairperson Prataprao Jadhav came a day after Apple sent messages to several Opposition functionaries, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Akhilesh Yadav and close aides of Rahul Gandhi, warning them about “state-sponsored attackers trying to remotely compromise” their devices.

He said the gravity of the situation cannot be “understated” as it only raises concerns about the security of personal data but also the potential implications for national security. “This notification is reminiscent of the Pegasus spyware scandal, which targeted voices critical of the ruling dispensation, and is a matter of deep concern for our democracy,” he said.

Brittas urged Jadhav to take “immediate action to comprehensively” examine the issue given the “sensitivity and implications” of the “shocking” development. 

“Such an examination (by a Parliamentary panel) is crucial to protect the rights of citizens enshrined in the Constitution and to uphold the ethos of our nation. It will also provide invaluable insights into the security and privacy concerns and help in formulating necessary recommendations or actions,” he said.

He suggested the panel could examine the nature and credibility of the security threat identified by Apple, the extent of vulnerability of Indian iPhone users to hacking attempts, the potential involvement of state-supported hackers and their motivations and the adequacy of cyber security measures to protect privacy and security of mobile users in India.

Referring to the recent Supreme Court observations on Pegasus, he said the right to privacy has been held sacrosanct to human existence and an inalienable facet of human dignity and autonomy. He also said collection of personal data without consent violates the principles of ‘personal information privacy’.