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Apple: We cannot and will not read your iMessages

Published Oct 18th, 2013 9:30AM EDT
Apple iMessage Security

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After it came to light earlier this year that the NSA keeps people on a much shorter digital leash than most suspected, issues such as security and privacy shot to the forefront of online media once again. Keeping your online activity private is no easy task, though it is possible, and it seems like new research emerges every day showing how vulnerable various methods of online communications are. Apple’s iMessage product was the latest to find itself security researchers’ crosshairs as a group called QuarksLab claimed Apple is able, if it so desires or if the NSA requires it to, to read your iMessages. Despite the lab’s lengthy white paper on the matter, Apple issued a statement on Friday claiming in no uncertain terms that the group is flat-out wrong. “iMessage is not architected to allow Apple to read messages,” an Apple spokeswoman said to AllThingsD in a statement. “The research discussed theoretical vulnerabilities that would require Apple to re-engineer the iMessage system to exploit it, and Apple has no plans or intentions to do so.”

Zach Epstein
Zach Epstein Executive Editor

Zach Epstein has been the Executive Editor at BGR for more than 10 years. He manages BGR’s editorial team and ensures that best practices are adhered to. He also oversees the Ecommerce team and directs the daily flow of all content. Zach first joined BGR in 2007 as a Staff Writer covering business, technology, and entertainment.

His work has been quoted by countless top news organizations, and he was recently named one of the world's top 10 “power mobile influencers” by Forbes. Prior to BGR, Zach worked as an executive in marketing and business development with two private telcos.