D
Derek Kessler
The Russian government has asked for security cooperation from Apple and enterprise services firm SAP. The proposal would see Apple handing over the source code for their products so Russia could inspect them for backdoors or defects that could be exploited by spy agencies like the NSA. Apple has repeatedly denied working with the NSA or other government agency to create such backdoors, but the Russian government, well, they're not wanting to take any chances.
It is laughable to think that Apple (or SAP) would willingly turn over the source code for their flagship products to any government, be it the United States or Russia. The Russian government claims that the proposal is meant to secure customers from spying, but at the same time given the decaying state of relations between the home nations of Apple (United States) and SAP (Germany), they'd be hesitant to enter into any such arrangement.
On the other hand, Microsoft has been engaged in such an agreement with the Russian government for over a decade, with no immediately obvious threats to their business having come out of it. The Russian Ministry of Communications said that the prospect of state companies using the hardware and software of uncooperative companies "remains uncertain."
Source: Reuters
Continue reading...