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What just happened? Apple is warning iPhone users in 92 countries that they may have been the target of mercenary spyware attacks. The message was sent at 12:00 pm PDT via email and iMessage to the contact details associated with the users’ respective Apple IDs.
Apple did not reveal the attackers’ identity or list the countries of concern. However, anonymous sources told TechCrunch that iPhone owners in India are among those receiving the alerts. In its message, Apple warned users that they were targets of “a mercenary spyware attack” to compromise their iPhones remotely.
“The attack is likely targeting you specifically because of who you are or what you do,” the notification read.
Apple advised affected users to take the attack seriously as it could jeopardize their privacy and online security. Users who received the warning should seek expert help, such as the rapid-response emergency security assistance provided by the Digital Security Helpline at the non-profit Access Now. While the organization may be unable to tell the targeted users what prompted Apple to send the warning, they could assist them with tailored security advice.
Apple’s latest threat notification follows a similar alert last October when the company warned several journalists, activists, and opposition politicians in India that they were the targets of spyware attacks. Amnesty International later confirmed the attacks, claiming to have found the Israeli company NSO Group’s “Pegasus” spyware on the iPhones of several prominent individuals across the country.
It is worth noting that these threat notifications from Apple are not rare. A support document on its website explains that it sends similar warnings to its users around the world “multiple times a year.” Apple has notified users of possible cyberattacks in over 150 countries since 2021.
“The extreme cost, sophistication, and worldwide nature of mercenary spyware attacks makes them some of the most advanced digital threats in existence today,” the support page reads.
Apple claims that the advanced nature of these hacks prevents it from attributing them to any specific attacker, meaning users have no surefire way of finding out if they are the victims of state-sponsored attacks, cyber espionage, or organized crime gangs with access to cutting-edge technology.
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