UK Cabinet Ministers Not Allowed Smart Watches during Meetings

UK politicians are reportedly asked not to bring along Apple's Watch that is worn on the wrist while attending cabinet meetings in apprehensions that somebody may hack the device. The Telegraph daily reports that the Apple Watch worries the government because remote spies, particularly from Russia, could listen to the watch's microphone and tap critical policy discussions.

The British newspaper cites an internal source which said that UK authorities were scared that hackers could utilize Apple Watches for eavesdropping into secret meetings of the ministers and garner information about Britain's approaching political stands. Softpedia.com posted this online dated October 13, 2016.

At the time of David Cameron's office, many cabinet ministers brought in their Apple Watches, including erstwhile Justice Secretary Michael Gove. But, current Prime Minister Theresa May's office has prohibited ministers to wear the smart watch when concerns are high that hackers might use them to listen into secret discussions.

Banning Apple Watch isn't any strange regulation in UK. Already cabinet ministers aren't let to bring their mobile phones during meetings, so the same restriction on smart watches sounds rational. The watches are made with the same primary components therefore have the same security flaws.

Meanwhile, it's further reported that Australian government too has prohibited Apple Watches inside its cabinet meetings.

And whilst The Telegraph reported the news of only Apple Watch, there's a possibility of smart watches of other types to be banned too. Although smart watches' sale volumes have dropped this summer, they continue to be an essential accessory among socialites.

The source stated that Russians were attempting at hacking everything and it disclosed the apprehensions of UK government about state-sponsored hackers from Russia who've been recently criticized for executing numerous breaches, in particular, against the World Anti-Doping Agency, US databases of voter registration, and the United States Democratic Party.

Hence it can be concluded that globally when it's essential that governments hold conversations in rooms which do not have any electronics whatsoever, it can be expected that ever increasing number of items might've to be actually isolated during the mentioned types of circumstances and similar others.

» SPAMfighter News - 10/18/2016