Report: The NSA Can Secretly Activate an iPhone's Microphone, Camera... and That's Not All

The National Security Agency can remotely activate an iPhone's camera and microphone without the user knowing, according to a leaked document obtained by German news magazine Der Spiegel.

According to a leaked document, the NSA can secretly activate an iPhone's microphone or camera. (Image source: Shutterstock)

The spy agency can also interrupt text messages, access contact lists and use cell towers to identify the location of the phone, according to The Daily Dot:

According to leaked documents, the NSA claims a 100 percent success rate when it comes to implanting iOS devices with spyware. The documents suggest that the NSA needs physical access to a device to install the spyware—something the agency has achieved by rerouting shipments of devices purchased online—but a remote version of the exploit is also in the works.

Here is the leaked doc:

(Image source: Der Spiegel / The Daily Dot)

The security researcher that initially obtained the documents noted that this presents one of two possibilities.

“Either [the NSA] have a huge collection of exploits that work against Apple products, meaning they are hoarding information about critical systems that American companies produce, and sabotaging them, or Apple sabotaged it themselves,” Jacob Appelbaum said at a conference.

“Do you think Apple helped them with that?” he asked. “I hope Apple will clarify that.”

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