Apple warns Thai activists 'state-sponsored attackers' may have targeted iPhones
BANGKOK: Apple on Wednesday (Nov 24) issued alert messages
to at least six Thai activists and researchers who have been critical of the
government, warning it believed their iPhones had been targeted by
"state-sponsored attackers", according to activists and the alerts
reviewed by Reuters.
Apple and Thailand's Digital Ministry did not immediately
respond to a request for comment.
Prajak Kongkirati, a political scientist at Bangkok's
Thammasat University, said he had received two emails from Apple warning it
believed his iPhone and iCloud accounts had been targeted, along with a
"threat notification" on his Apple account.
Researcher Sarinee Achananuntakul and Thai activist
Yingcheep Atchanont of Legal Monitoring group iLaw said they had received
similar emails, while a rapper, a political activist, and a politician opposed
to the government separately posted screenshots of the same email on their
social media accounts.
All are perceived as being critical of the Thai government.
The messages warned "if your device is compromised by a
state-sponsored attacker, they may be able to remotely access your sensitive
data, communications, or even the camera and microphone".
Apple on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against Israeli cyber firm
NSO Group and its parent company OSY Technologies for alleged surveillance and
targeting of US Apple users with its Pegasus spyware.
In a statement on Tuesday, Apple said that the NSO group had
created "state-sponsored surveillance technology" that had been aimed
at "very small number of users".
It was not immediately clear in Apple's alerts on Wednesday
whether the company believed Thais were being targeted by Pegasus.
Internet security watchdog group Citizen Lab identified in
2018 a Pegasus spyware operator active within Thailand.
Thailand's government is still led by the architects of a
2014 coup, who remain in power after a 2019 election that its rivals say was
stacked in the military's favour.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, the coup leader, has
denied the claims, but has faced months of anti-government protests.
As well as calls for greater democracy, the government has
also been criticised over its management of the coronavirus pandemic and the
economy.
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