“Although Google’s Android dominates the worldwide smartphone market, the CIA concentrated on Apple’s iOS because of its popularity among global elites, Wikileaks reports,” Leander Kahney reports for Cult of Mac.
“Wikileaks’ huge trove of leaked CIA documents, codenamed ‘Vault 7,’ claims that the CIA formed a special unit called the Mobile Development Branch (MDB) to infect smartphones. And within that unit, Apple’s iOS was a prime target,” Kahney reports. “According to Wikileaks, the CIA’s MDB developed or exploited a range of hacks, vulnerabilities and even specialized malware to turn iPhones and iPads into spying devices. Compromised iPhones and iPads can track users’ conversations, texts, geolocations and even remotely turn on the camera and microphone.”
“Wikileaks’ giant dump of leaked CIA documents — which at 8,761 documents (so far) is claimed to be the largest in history — says that Apple’s devices were of particular interest to the CIA because of their popularity among elite groups,” Kahney reports. “‘The disproportionate focus on iOS may be explained by the popularity of the iPhone among social, political, diplomatic and business elites,’ [WikiLeaks wrote].”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Makes sense. Hack an iPhone or a Mac, get an invitation to spend the weekend with the Royal Family at Balmoral and Pakistan’s nuclear launch codes. Hack an Android phone or a Windows PC, get nude photos of some guy’s 350 lb. wife/cousin and today’s Dollar General coupons.
Trevor & Carol vs. Clevon, Trish & Britney = iOS & macOS vs. Windows, Android & Chrome.
Video contains language that may be NSFW (depending on where you work):
SEE ALSO:
WikiLeaks reveals CIA’s global covert hacking program targeting Apple iPhone, Google Android, Microsoft Windows and even Samsung TVs – March 7, 2017
Apple iPhone users spend more than ever on apps – February 21, 2017
Apple users have higher credit scores than Android and Windows users – January 24, 2017
Poor man’s iPhone: Android on the decline – February 26, 2015
Study: iPhone users are smarter and richer than those who settle for Android phones – January 22, 2015
Why Android users can’t have the nicest things – January 5, 2015
iPhone users earn significantly more than those who settle for Android phones – October 8, 2014
Yet more proof that Android is for poor people – June 27, 2014
More proof that Android is for poor people – May 13, 2014
Android users poorer, shorter, unhealthier, less educated, far less charitable than Apple iPhone users – November 13, 2013
IDC data shows two thirds of Android’s 81% smartphone share are cheap junk phones – November 13, 2013
CIRP: Apple iPhone users are younger, richer, and better educated than those who settle for Samsung knockoff phones – August 19, 2013
iPhone users smarter, richer than Android phone users – August 16, 2011
Study: Apple iPhone users richer, younger, more productive than other so-called ‘smartphone’ users – June 12, 2009
