DROPOUTJEEP: NSA's Secret program to access any Apple iPhone, including microphone & camera

By Shaiil | 06:34 Leave a Comment
In the era of Smartphones, Apple’s iPhone is the most popular device that exists, which itself gives the reason to target it. According to leaked documents shared by Security researcher Jacob Appelbaum, a secret NSA program code named DROPOUTJEEP has nearly total access to the Apple’s iPhones, which uses “modular mission applications to provide specific SIGINT functionality.”

While giving the presentation at the Chaos Communications Congress (30C3) in Hamburg, Germany on Monday, Appelbaum revealed that NSA reportedly sniffing out every last bit of data from your iPhone. DROPOUTJEEP is a software implant for the Apple iPhone that utilizes modular mission applications to provide specific SIGINT functionality. This functionality includes the ability to remotely push/pull files from the device. SMS retrieval, contact list retrieval, voicemail, geolocation, hot mic, camera capture, cell tower location, etc. Command, control and data exfiltration can occur over SMS messaging or a GPRS data connection. All communications with the implant will be covert and encrypted.

                                                                           
The program is capable to gather information from the phone, to both send and receive files from the exploited devices as well as gain access to the devices’ contact lists, text messages and more. 'The NSA claims that anytime they target an iOS device, it will succeed, So either they have a huge collection of exploits against Apple products, meaning they are hoarding information about critical systems that American companies produce and sabotaging them, or Apple sabotaged it themselves.' he said. NSA can also remotely enable the iPhone’s camera and microphone, but the method of installation is not entirely clear. The spyware tool was reportedly developed in 2008 to target the first iPhones.
                                                                        
 On Tuesday Apple denied the allegations and says it played no role in the National Security Agency's efforts to hack the iPhone. The following statement released:

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 continually 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.

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