There are various reasons which lead us to think of the fact that today the Cold War is played out on the terrain of tech. And, more specifically, in the field of devices and applications.
The most striking example is certainly represented by TikTok. In several articles we have dealt with the fact that the Chinese app, produced by ByteDance, has been accused of withholding data from Western users. And to provide them, when requested, to the Beijing government. And therefore, in our latitudes, it is increasingly banned.
In reality, what appeared to be just doubts from Washington and Europe were corroborated by a former TikTok executive. Who, in no uncertain terms, defined the platform as “an instrument of the Communist Party of China”. And he made it known that “the culture of illegality” exists within TikTok.
We have always focused on a single direction: the accusations of Europe and the USA against other governments.
However, a recent piece of news is very similar in content but of the opposite sign: this time Russia is accusing, where iPhones will be banned for state employees. The fears? The usual: espionage. But this time the accused is the US government. Let’s reconstruct what happened.
iPhones banned in Russia for state officials
The FSB, abbreviation of Federal’naja služba bezopasnosti, is pointing the finger at Washington. That is, the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation. Who accuses the US of spying on the Russian government through Apple devices.
The news was given by the Financial Times on Sunday 16 July. In the article we read that iPhones and other Apple products will be banned in Russia from Monday, July 17. And it will only concern the workplace.
Stop to Apple products from Monday 17 July
The Russian trade ministry said it will ban all use of iPhones for “business purposes” from Monday July 17.
The ban on Apple devices in key Russian ministries and institutions reflects “the growing concern of the Kremlin and the FSB about an increase in spying activity by US intelligence agencies against Russian state institutions.”
A Financial Times source close to a Russian government agency stated that “security officials in ministries – i.e. FSB employees who hold civilian posts such as deputy ministers – have announced that iPhones are no longer considered secure, and that they should be sought alternatives.
The Ministry of Commerce’s ban includes business-related email correspondence. The British newspaper’s source explained that “IT department specialists report when someone opens their work email from an iPhone. It’s easy to check. A Rostec representative said the restrictions apply to all Apple devices. But “their use for personal purposes is still allowed.”
The document of the FSB
Exactly last June 1, the FSB delivered the results of an investigation to state leaders which would have revealed “a spying operation by US intelligence agencies using Apple devices”.
The iPhones and other devices of the Cupertino-based company would have been infected with software capable of intercepting and transmitting user data. This would signal a “close partnership” between Apple and the US National Security Agency.
The alternative technology
The reply from Apple was immediate, denying all accusations with a brief note.
For now, iPhones will be banned in Russia for employees of the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Digital Development and those of the state-owned technology company Rostec.
The thousands of people affected by the ban will be able to use the Android operating system. Or use devices that rely on Russian operating systems, such as Aurora, which is itself based on the Finnish Sailfish OS system. Produced by the state-owned telephone company Rostelecom, Aurora is already the only system that can be used in schools and healthcare facilities.
The (very recent) precedent
Recall that in Russia iPhones and Apple devices were already banned.
The decision had been made in March, e it concerned officials involved in the preparations for the 2024 Russian presidential election.
According to the Russian newspaper Kommersant Sergei Kiriyenko, first deputy head of cabinet of Putin’s presidential administration, officials should have abandoned Apple devices from April 1st.