Russia moves to ban iPhones for government officials after claiming they were hacked by the US

Russia’s trade ministry will impose a ban on employees using iPhones starting on Monday, the Financial Times reported

The move comes after Russia accused Apple of collaborating with US intelligence agencies

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A woman passes by an Apple shop at the State Department Store, GUM, in central Moscow. Photo: AFP / Getty Images / TNS

Published: 3:28am, 17 Jul 2023Updated: 7:21am, 17 Jul 2023

Russian officials are being told to stop using iPhones after the country’s intelligence service, without proof, accused Apple of helping the US government conduct espionage operations.

Beginning on Monday, employees at Russia’s trade ministry will no longer be allowed to use iPhones on the job, the Financial Times newspaper reported. At least one other ministry plans to follow suit, the Financial Times said, as does the state oil company, Rostec.

Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo: Kremlin / dpa

In March, the Kremlin told officials to stop using Apple products, citing fears they were vulnerable to US hacking. Then, in June, the Russian government accused Apple of working with US intelligence agencies – a claim the company flatly denies – after a cybersecurity firm said iPhones running older versions of iOS had been infected with malware, The Washington Post newspaper reported, making them vulnerable to eavesdropping.

However, Russia’s Federal Security Service, or FSB, has provided no evidence to support the claim and independent security experts have found no signs Apple has built in a “back door” exception to the device’s encryption.

That is not to say there were no real security flaws. Following the Russian claims, Apple announced patches to its iOS software, crediting researchers at the Moscow-based Kaspersky Lab with identifying vulnerabilities.

The bans on official use will not impact regular consumers. Apple pulled out of the Russian market following last year’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. But the company’s products continue to be imported from other countries. Russia’s largest mobile phone provider, MTS, lists the iPhone 14 as available for just over US$1,200; a similar model, in the US, retails for US$999.

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