Tech

Google: Apple and Android phones have been hacked by an Italian company

Google: Apple and Android phones have been hacked by an Italian company

The hacking tools of an Italian company have been used to spy on Apple and Android smartphones in Italy and Kazakhstan, Google said in a report on Thursday.

The Milan-based RCS Lab has developed tools to spy on private messages and contacts on these devices, the report said.

Google's findings come as European and American regulators ponder possible new rules for selling and importing spyware.

Apple and the governments of Italy and Kazakhstan have not yet commented.

RCS Lab said its products and services are in line with European rules and help law enforcement agencies investigate crimes.

Google on the other hand said it had taken steps to protect users of its Android operating system and warned them of spyware.