Apple has once again sounded the alarm for iPhone users worldwide, issuing threat notifications about possible mercenary spyware attacks targeting individuals across 98 countries.
TechCrunch reports that tech giant Apple has launched its second major alert campaign of the year, warning iPhone users of potential mercenary spyware attacks. This latest round of notifications, sent out on Wednesday, reaches users in 98 countries, surpassing the scope of a similar campaign in April that targeted 92 nations.
Since 2021, Apple has consistently alerted users to potential threats, reaching individuals in over 150 countries. These notifications serve as a crucial line of defense against sophisticated cyber attacks that often target specific individuals due to their profession or personal circumstances.
The warning message sent to affected users is both clear and urgent: “Apple detected that you are being targeted by a mercenary spyware attack that is trying to remotely compromise the iPhone associated with your Apple ID.” The company emphasizes the seriousness of the threat, stating, “This attack is likely targeting you specifically because of who you are or what you do. Although it’s never possible to achieve absolute certainty when detecting such attacks, Apple has high confidence in this warning — please take it seriously.”
While Apple has not disclosed the identities of the attackers or specified which countries were targeted in this latest campaign, reports indicate that users in India are among those who received the warnings. This comes in the wake of similar notifications sent to Indian journalists and politicians in October, highlighting the global nature of these cyber threats.
The involvement of highly sophisticated spyware like Pegasus, developed by the Israeli firm NSO Group, adds another layer of complexity to the situation. Amnesty International, a prominent human rights advocacy group, recently reported finding Pegasus on the iPhones of several well-known Indian journalists, demonstrating the real-world impact of these cyber attacks.
Apple’s explicitly states that it cannot provide additional details about the threat identification process, as doing so could potentially aid attackers in evading future detection but regularly alrets customers of potential dangers.
Interestingly, Apple has made a subtle but significant shift in its terminology when describing these incidents. The company now refers to them as “mercenary spyware attacks” rather than “state-sponsored” attacks, as was previously the case. Apple has stated that it uses “internal threat-intelligence information and investigations to detect such attacks,” which allows them to keep up to date with the latest cyberattacks that could potentially affect customers.
Read more at TechCrunch here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
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