Have countries banned the sale of iPhone due to finding Israeli spyware embedded in parts made by Foxconn

1. Origin of the claim — what people are alleging and why it spread

Viral posts have circulated claiming countries are banning Samsung, Apple and other phones because of “unremovable Israeli spyware,” and that spyware was physically embedded in devices via suppliers like Foxconn; Fact Crescendo checked those viral claims and found no official nationwide bans or government documents supporting them — instead, what circulated were internal workplace rules and social-media amplification ^[1]. Forbes commentary noted social-media furor over alleged “unremovable Israeli spyware” on Samsung phones and warned some reports of countries considering bans were unsubstantiated ^[5].

2. What independent reporting actually shows about spyware on iPhones

Security researchers and outlets document repeated misuse of commercial spyware against iPhone users: Apple sued NSO Group over Pegasus (seeking to bar its access to Apple devices) and has issued security updates in response to Citizen Lab and other findings ^{[2] [6]}. In 2025 forensic work by Citizen Lab tied Paragon’s Graphite spyware to targeted iPhone infections and Apple issued notifications and patches ^{[3] [4]}. These incidents are software-level compromises or targeted infections, not evidence of spyware embedded into physical components at the factory, per the reporting available ^{[3] [2]}.

3. Foxconn: past security incidents vs. claims of factory-installed spyware

Foxconn has historically appeared in reporting about stolen digital certificates and data breaches — notably Duqu/related malware researchers found attackers using a Foxconn digital certificate in 2015 — but that reporting described credential theft used to masquerade malware, not evidence that Foxconn or its hardware shipped devices with state spyware preinstalled ^{[7] [8] [9]}. Available sources do not mention any verified case where Foxconn-built iPhone components were shipped with Israeli state spyware embedded in hardware ^{[7] [1]}.

4. Where governments have actually acted — limited workplace bans and cautionary measures

Fact Crescendo and mainstream reporting show some Chinese agencies and state-backed firms advised staff to avoid foreign phones for work and imposed internal restrictions — these are targeted workplace security policies, not countrywide consumer bans grounded in findings of “Israeli spyware” in hardware ^[1]. Reuters and other outlets cited in the fact-check overview similarly reported internal directives and cautions rather than public sales prohibitions ^[1].

5. Technical difference: mercenary spyware vs. hardware backdoors

The documented incidents (Pegasus, Graphite) are mercenary spyware that exploit software vulnerabilities or stolen zero-days to infect devices remotely; Apple’s responses have been software patches, Lockdown Mode, threat notifications, and litigation — these defensive actions target code-level exploits, not factory-installed chips or firmware proven to be spying at scale in shipping devices ^{[4] [6] [2]}. Claims of “embedded spyware in parts” would be a different technical class of threat; the supplied reporting does not provide forensic confirmation of that specific claim ^{[3] [7]}.

6. Conflicting narratives and motives to watch

Advocacy groups, cybersecurity vendors, and media outlets have competing incentives: researchers and journalists expose surveillance abuses; vendors and manufacturers defend reputations; social-media actors may amplify sensational claims. Forbes cautioned that some social-media claims about “unremovable spyware” and potential national bans were unproven, while fact-checkers found the strongest evidence was of internal workplace restrictions ^{[5] [1]}. Apple’s lawsuits and patches show a company acting to limit abuse, which aligns with its public security posture ^{[2] [6]}.

7. Bottom line and what to watch next

Current reporting in the provided sources documents serious, real spyware threats to iPhone users (Pegasus, Graphite), Apple’s legal and technical responses, and some workplace guidance by governments or state firms — but it does not document any country imposing a consumer-wide ban on iPhone sales because Israeli spyware was found embedded in Foxconn-made parts ^{[3] [2] [1]}. Monitor forensic reports (Citizen Lab), major news wires (Reuters), and fact-checking outlets for any new, verifiable evidence that would substantiate claims about factory-installed spyware ^{[3] [1]}.