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Apple Agrees To Chinese Security Audits of Its Products

Posted by samzenpus on from the looking-behind-the-curtain dept.

itwbennett writes According to a story in the Beijing News, Apple CEO Tim Cook has agreed to let China's State Internet Information Office to run security audits on products the company sells in China in an effort to counter concerns that other governments are using its devices for surveillance. "Apple CEO Tim Cook agreed to the security inspections during a December meeting in the U.S. with information office director Lu Wei, according to a story in the Beijing News. China has become one of Apple’s biggest markets, but the country needs assurances that Apple devices like the iPhone and iPad protect the security and privacy of their users as well as maintain Chinese national security, Lu told Cook, according to an anonymous source cited by the Beijing News."

6 of 114 comments (clear)

  1. Absolutely fair.. by Rick+in+China · · Score: 2, Insightful

    More countries should be doing security audits on more products.

    1. Re:Absolutely fair.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      "Security Audits" - In other words, making sure these governments have a way to access secure information stored on confiscated iPhones from activists, dissidents, journalists, and other troublemakers.

    2. Re:Absolutely fair.. by gnasher719 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Consider that China is legally allowed to do security audits or "security audits" on any open source system. So what would Apple have to be afraid of that Linux or OpenSSL just as examples don't have to be afraid of?

    3. Re:Absolutely fair.. by phayes · · Score: 4, Insightful

      What better way to learn what undiscovered security holes there are in a product than to be able to see the source code?

      Oh, you thought that the reason China wants to audit the code is so that they can "protect" their citizens. Yes, because not at all well known for targeting dissent, no, not at all...

      --
      Democracy is a sheep and two wolves deciding what to have for lunch. Freedom is a well armed sheep contesting the issue
  2. Of Course by theshowmecanuck · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Since most of their operations are in China (even if de facto), they are essentially a Chinese company. They have to agree.

    --
    -- I ignore anonymous replies to my comments and postings.
  3. this proves nothing whatsoever. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If Apple cooperates then how do they know the devices and software are exactly the same thing that Apple sells in China. The thing to do would be to acquire random samples in China and elsewhere jailbreak and then analyze. Never mind that Apple may not include obvious back doors but instead subtle behaviors that can be exploited and also explained away if discovered by outsiders.

    When push comes to shove it is all bullshit to use enemy technology. If I was in their shoes I would go for my own hardware and software developed without any input from the outside.

    They are probably more interested into breaking into existing I-devices so don't use these things what you want neither the US-G or the CN-G to know. That simple. Nobody is your friend here.