Worried About Trump iPhone Eavesdroppers? China Recommends a Huawei (reuters.com)

China's foreign ministry has some suggestions for the Trump administration if it is worried about foreign eavesdropping on the U.S. president's iPhones: use a Huawei handset instead. Or just cut all forms of modern communication with the outside world. From a report: The riposte came after the New York Times reported that American intelligence reports indicated that Chinese and Russian spies often listen in on President Donald Trump when he uses his Apple cellphones to chat with old friends. Aides have repeatedly told him that his cellphone calls are not secure, but although the president has been persuaded to use his secure White House landline more often, he has refused to give up the phones, the Times said. Trump called the Times report incorrect on Thursday, and dismissed it as "long and boring." "I only use Government Phones, and have only one seldom used government cell phone. Story is soooo wrong!" Trump wrote on Twitter. In a later tweet, he said, "I rarely use a cellphone, & when I do it's government authorized. I like Hard Lines. Just more made up Fake News!"

Comments

It's a good idea and perfectly true.

[serviscope_minor]

They're right: once you know for sure something is happening then you can stop worrying about it. It's the doubt and uncertainty that's the real killer. Their suggestion certainly removes all doubt on the matter.

So what?

[Bert64]

It says he uses the phones to talk to old friends, people he was in regular contact with long before he became president. So long as he's not discussing classified information (and he cant be, or there would be a much bigger fuss being made) then whats the problem?

Even if using a government supplied landline, if hes calling regular phones then it can't be encrypted end to end, it has to traverse the public telephone network at some point where it could be subject to interception.

Re:So what?

[Freischutz]

It says he uses the phones to talk to old friends, people he was in regular contact with long before he became president. So long as he's not discussing classified information (and he cant be, or there would be a much bigger fuss being made) then whats the problem?

Even if using a government supplied landline, if hes calling regular phones then it can't be encrypted end to end, it has to traverse the public telephone network at some point where it could be subject to interception.

Well, let's see ... he might be discussing crooked business deals, tax cheating, election manipulations, hiring prostitutes for golden shower parties or other things that are not classified information but that would render him vulnerable to blackmail?

Re:So what?

[Moskit]

Intelligence obtained from "just chats with old friends" can be just as valuable as from classified communication.
Who are the friends?
Which one could extract some additional information in "just chat"?
Who has influence over president?

The "secured landline" would be likely used for communicating with other secured lines and blocked from calling regular ones.

Now please download and install this attached "supercontrol.dll" upgrade for your Linux, it will improve your mileage, trust me! What could be the problem?

Consider the source

[MrLogic17]

China, being one of the largest sources of spying threats, recommends a specific phone. That they happen to make.
They assure us that they can evesdrop on every other phone, except the one designed & made in their country, with no outside audits.

Sure. We'll get right on that.

Crypto keys

[Harry_Bawls]

This is what happens when a company (apple) gives their crypto keys to a totalitarian government without hesitation.