Apple Inc has sued recycling firm GEEP Canada for reselling iPhones, iPads and Watches that were meant to be disassembled after a data wipe. This was confirmed after an audit in 2018, when Apple learnt that over 11,766 pounds of old devices have left the premises without the data on them wiped efficiently.
In what is known to Cybersecurity Insiders, Apple has sent over 500,000 iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches between Jan 2015 and December 2017 for recycling, and among them over 18% of those gadgets were still connected to the internet via LTE networks.
An anonymous source from GEEP Canada said that a few senior officials were involved in the incident where they stole the gadgets meant for recycling and sold them for monetary benefits.
Meaning they were being used in undeveloped nations by refurbishing them with counterfeits parts and this could lead to serious consequences like electrical shocks and battery explosions.
The management of GEEP Canada with which Apple Inc has severed ties in 2017 says that all these allegations are baseless. However, it’s still mum on device theft.
Note 1- Wiping data from an iPhone needs a scientific process where software is used to wipe it. But still remnants of data might remain on it, making reuse of the iPhone a threat to previous owners.
Note 2- Recycling is a process where the parts from old phones are taken and used on new gadgets. But only after the data disks are destroyed effectively.
