Apple CEO Against App Legislation, Russian Cyberattack Thwarted, European Telecoms Exit Russia

April 13, 2022 – On Tuesday, Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke out against antitrust legislation that is targeting an alleged monopoly that app stores have over users, reported The Hill.

Cook was talking about the Open Markets Act, which would forbid app stores with more than 50 million domestic users from requiring app developers from using in-app payment options controlled by the application store owner — in this case, Apple.

“[Sideloading] means data-hungry companies would be able to avoid our privacy rules and once again track our users against their will,” said Cook, according to the report. “It would also potentially give bad actors away around the comprehensive security protections we put in place, putting them in direct contact with our users.”

The act has yet to be voted on by either house. It was voted out of the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this year.

Ukraine says it foiled Russian cyberattack on power grid

The Hill also reported that on Tuesday, Ukrainian officials announced that they successfully prevented a cyberattack led by Russia on their electrical grid.

Russia attempted to hijack computers from a Ukraine energy company that controls high voltage substations of the company, the officials claim.

The officials reported that Sandworm, a Russian hacking group that has ties to Russia’s military intelligence agency, more commonly known as GRU, was behind the attack.

Russia began planning the attack at least two weeks in advance, according to the report. It was scheduled for April 8 and was intercepted by Microsoft after it procured a court order that allowed them to access the hacking group’s online domains.

European telecom giants exit Russia

Finnish telecom equipment maker Nokia announced Tuesday that it is exiting the Russian market due to its invasion of Ukraine, a day after Swedish rival Ericsson said it would suspend operations indefinitely.

“It has been clear for Nokia since the early days of the invasion of Ukraine that continuing our presence in Russia would not be possible,” the company said in a press release. “Over the last weeks we have suspended deliveries, stopped new business and are moving our limited R&D activities out of Russia.”

The companies also cited needing to be compliant with European Union sanctions against the Kremlin.