UPDATE - Russia claims to have uncovered US intel operation through malware on Apple mobile phones

ADDS COMMENTS FROM RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) on Thursday claimed to have uncovered a US intelligence operation being conducted via a virus program on Apple mobile phones.

"In the course of securing Russian telecommunications infrastructure, anomalies characteristic only of Apple cell phone users and caused by previously unknown malicious software exploiting vulnerabilities in the manufacturer’s software were revealed," a statement by the security agency said.

It added that several thousand Apple phones, not limited to domestic users, were infected with the malware.

"In addition to domestic subscribers, instances were revealed of the infection of foreign numbers and subscribers using SIM cards registered with diplomatic missions and embassies in Russia, including those of NATO member states and post-Soviet countries, as well as Israel, Syria, and China," the FSB said.

It claimed there was "close cooperation” between Apple and the US intelligence community, particularly the National Security Agency.

This confirms Apple’s “declared policy of ensuring the confidentiality of personal data of users of Apple devices is not true,” the FSB said. "The company provides US intelligence services with a wide range of opportunities to monitor both anyone of interest to the White House, including their partners in anti-Russian activities, and their own citizens."

- US 'above the law'

Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry in a statement said the revelations prove that "US intelligence agencies have been using IT corporations for decades to massively collect data from internet users without their knowledge."

"The US is a state that puts itself above the law. Evidence of the 'double standards' of this country, its intelligence agencies and companies in the field of international information security (IIB) have been repeatedly presented to the UN," it added.​​​​​​​

Apple or US authorities did not immediately respond to the claims.