Government Denies Reports of Seeking Smartphone Source Code From Apple, Samsung
The Ministry of Electronics and IT has denied reports of seeking source code from smartphone manufacturers. The ministry clarified that the government has no such intention or proposal. A foreign report suggested that companies like Samsung and Apple would share source code as part of a security framework, which the ministry termed completely false. The government is building an ecosystem to protect users' personal data, but has not requested the source code.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has stated that the government has not given any directive to smartphone companies for sharing source code on the manufacturing of smartphones, and these reports are totally false. They further added that the government has no intentions of acquiring source code from smartphone companies, and no such plan is in the pipeline.
According to a report quoting a foreign agency, Indian government officials have demanded that the software source code of smartphones be made accessible to the government through a security framework, and companies such as Samsung and Apple are affected in this matter. The ministry further clarified that phone companies have not been asked to use other software options in the security framework.
The ministry stated that an ecosystem is being developed to protect the personal data of smartphone users. Mobile phones enable digital transactions, government services are delivered through smartphones, and personal information is stored on smartphones. With over one billion smartphone users in India, smartphone users are vulnerable to cybercriminals.
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The ministry states that any negligence can lead to the theft of personal information and financial loss. In light of this, the ministry consistently consults with stakeholders regarding user security.
The ministry maintains constant contact with the industry regarding security standards. Smartphone manufacturing companies were discussed regarding these security standards during regular meetings, but they were not given any instructions to disclose the source code.
