There is one way to know, they can check the connections the target device makes both by checking the device itself or by checking the network device(s) they use to connect to the internet.
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Apple Further Refutes Bloomberg Report Suggesting Chinese Spies Tampered With iCloud Servers
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It’s a bit silly saying “we’re not under a gag order”. Either that’s what you’d say if you were under a gag order, in which case we can’t believe you, or it’s true and if you ever are under a gag order everyone will know cos you’ll refuse to deny it after setting the precedent of denying it.
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Not only that, if this were truly “phoning home” how in the hell would that traffic not be picked up? There’s no way that data is following the same protocols that Amazon/Apple are using and it would be flagged immediately.
This story smells like peddling to people that have no technical knowledge about computers OR networking/networking security.
God knows the NSA would immediately see suspicious traffic from their own servers (Amazon has the biggest cloud contract with the CIA and other intelligence agencies).
Someone has their thinking cap on. Gold star for you!
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Methinks you don't quite understand how anonymous sources work.
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May I ask why this is? You may well be right. But I have no reason to give Apple the benefit of the doubt. Companies lie all the time. Apple is the biggest company. You think it was all 100% squeaky clean to get there?
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Amazon, Apple, and SuperMicro now all have very good reasons to sue Bloomberg. Think about how damaging this is, true or not. Your brand is damaged. They sue when this happens. We'll see what happens -- it will be very telling indeed.
Methinks you are not very critical in how you go about assessing the veracity of news. Having a low "truth" threshold certainly makes your job a lot easier.
I don't believe or disbelieve the article at this point, nor do I believe nor disbelieve the companies at the center of this. Unlike the status quo these days, I have no desire to align myself on sides of imaginary holy wars.
So, now the clock is ticking. We'll see how long it takes for Bloomberg's reporters to admit they inflated, dramatically, a minor incident from a couple years ago, trying to hit a home run and get their names in lights.
If they are under a patriot act gag order they use a warrant canary, they don’t deny it.
Why keep it in the news? I think Apple have done all they need to. They've said it's bollocks and I expect them to move on and ignore it now.
"The lady doth protest too much, methinks" - Hamlet by W. Shakespeare
Apple has strong financial incentive to not admit it even if it’s true. There is no situation where Apple and Amazon would publicly admit to being compromised by China even if a breach did happen.
As such, why is anyone taking Apple’s word at face value? There the least reliable ones to ask in this situation.
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Lmao, you just randomly believe everything a business tells you, just because? Are you serious? Even if true you do realize there is no situation where Apple would actually admit something like this right? It is helpful to employ critical thinking before commenting on these things.
No matter which side you’re on in this, at core this obviously is a conspiracy.
Did anyone read the articles?
All of Bloomberg’s assertions are backed up by details.
All of Apple, Amazon, Supermicro, and China’s rebuttals are based on diversions - and an insistence that the reader believe in the integrity of the denier. I don’t want to believe they are lying to me. They sound like they are giving good reasons. But I still have this gnawing feeling in my gut that I get when I am being lied to, which unfortunately is prevalent today.
In other words, don’t become weary and stop using critical thinking skills. We are lied to from at least one source every day now. It’s better to ignore it when it’s a waste of your time. But don’t give in.
The Bloomberg story rings true. It lines up with everything I know about this industry, with decades of experience. In fact, I always thought this was the most vulnerable part of the PC architecture - going back to the original IBM design - and possibly the only way such a hardware attack could ever be pulled off.
Unless I get good, solid details denying this - and so far there are none - I’m going to believe this story, which sounds well researched and entirely in touch with both technology and the way corporations handle sensitive topics these days.
All of Bloomberg’s assertions are backed up by details.
All of Apple, Amazon, Supermicro, and China’s rebuttals are based on diversions - and an insistence that the reader believe in the integrity of the denier. I don’t want to believe they are lying to me. They sound like they are giving good reasons. But I still have this gnawing feeling in my gut that I get when I am being lied to, which unfortunately is prevalent today.
In other words, don’t become weary and stop using critical thinking skills. We are lied to from at least one source every day now. It’s better to ignore it when it’s a waste of your time. But don’t give in.
The Bloomberg story rings true. It lines up with everything I know about this industry, with decades of experience. In fact, I always thought this was the most vulnerable part of the PC architecture - going back to the original IBM design - and possibly the only way such a hardware attack could ever be pulled off.
Unless I get good, solid details denying this - and so far there are none - I’m going to believe this story, which sounds well researched and entirely in touch with both technology and the way corporations handle sensitive topics these days.
Outrageous claims without a shred of proof. It’s on Bloomberg to provide more than hearsay.
But their business is clicks, so hearsay is just as good as truth for Bloomberg, and with anonymous sources they can cover their own ass.
Never, ever trust the press at face value.
Also FYI: Wall St. is historically terrible with tech news and reporting.
That's where I'm at. I don't know if it's true or not.
What I do know is, Bloomberg would be committing suicide to fabricate this story, because Apple, Amazon, and Super Micro are now extremely pissed off and likely considering legal action.
It would be insane for Bloomberg to fake this story.
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I disagree about nothing to lose. If this story is bs, they're going to lose their pants in court.
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In reading the comments, I acknowledge it's easier to prove it's true than to prove it's not true. So I expect to see more evidence over time - even if it takes a while.
I don't think there will be any lawsuits either. I don't think any of the parties (except possibly Bloomberg, and eventually politicians) will benefit from bringing more attention to it.
But before you go, ask yourself one more question: Why wouldn’t China try this? Because I can’t think of any good reason they wouldn’t. They didn't have to believe it would be successful. The mere chance of success would be justification enough.
So I can only think of two possible conclusions: Either it turned out it wasn't technically feasible, or they tried it.
I don't think there will be any lawsuits either. I don't think any of the parties (except possibly Bloomberg, and eventually politicians) will benefit from bringing more attention to it.
But before you go, ask yourself one more question: Why wouldn’t China try this? Because I can’t think of any good reason they wouldn’t. They didn't have to believe it would be successful. The mere chance of success would be justification enough.
So I can only think of two possible conclusions: Either it turned out it wasn't technically feasible, or they tried it.
Oh, Apple made a "formal statement" did they? Well that certainly settles it!
Apple has billions of dollars in value invested in their image of keeping your data secure. Is it any surprise at all their PR machine would go into overdrive to refute evidence that their infrastructure (along with that of many other companies) might have been compromised by their Chinese supply chain?
You don't think potentially losing tech manufacturing business if something like this were found out would be a motivator? Maybe not, who knows, but what I do know is that the whole story is one of the most bizarre I have seen in 25 years of following technology and the tech industry, as well as politics, closely.
Yes, it is one of the most bizarre stories.
I believe the Chinese government is so steeped in their deceptive behavior that they believe they will stay in power and always get away with it.
In one word: Overconfidence.
And they may be right.
Your question is good, but now that I think about it, Apple, Amazon and Supermicro have already demonstrated that they are too entrenched to let this hurt China too much.
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Or it’s a CIA/NSA program with directive from the current administration. These China mongering will just continue until the Nov election. The China fear card is what Trump is counting on for his electoral fortunes. Note the VP has just came out to claim that China is meddling in the upcoming election when cybersecurity experts are contradicting POTUS/VPOTUS’s claims.
Yes! Just look at the lies that comes out of the Trump and the present administration. When there’s political self interests involved, anything is possible. CIA/NSA have planted plenty of misinformation through media channels and others through history. You are too trusting of the ethics of media channels.