14 DAY TRIAL // Apple has denied having any ties to the alleged program targeting the iPhone known as DROPOUTJEEP in which the National Security Agency was reportedly able to capture live data – including camera, GPS, and cell tower location – from compromised iPhones.
According to leaked documents, the NSA reportedly installed special software onto iPhones as part of a program called DROPOUTJEEP that provided access to user data from 2008.
Citing security researcher Jacob Appelbaum (via German magazine Der Spiegel), All Things D reports that the program was disclosed in leaked papers.
According to the report, “DROPOUTJEEP is software that can be implanted on an iPhone [and] provides SIGINT or signals intelligence including the ability to push and pull files from the phone, retrieve text messages, contact lists, voice mail messages, the phone’s location, and turn on the internal microphone and activate the camera.”
The data could be withdrawn over a wireless connection without the user knowing, according to these reports.
Since the “close access method” requires physical access to install the spyware, some believe the NSA worked with Apple to rig the handsets.
Apple denies any knowledge of this security matter, and claims to have never worked with the Agency to create backdoors in its products.
The Cupertino giant’s statement is available below, in full.
“Apple has never worked with the NSA to create a backdoor in any of our products, including iPhone. Additionally, we have been unaware of this alleged NSA program targeting our products.”
“We care deeply about our customers’ privacy and security. Our team is continuously working to make our products even more secure, and we make it easy for customers to keep their software up to date with the latest advancements.”
“Whenever we hear about attempts to undermine Apple’s industry-leading security, we thoroughly investigate and take appropriate steps to protect our customers. We will continue to use our resources to stay ahead of malicious hackers and defend our customers from security attacks, regardless of who’s behind them.”