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Date: April 11, 2024

Apple has sent a high-alert warning to users in 92 countries, including India. The warning states that mercenary spyware attacks may have targeted their devices.

Apple has sent threat notifications to iPhone users in 92 countries at 12 PM (Pacific Time) on Wednesday, warning them about potential threats posed by mercenary spyware attacks. The warning did not disclose the attackers’ identities or countries of origin for the attacks. 

“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 warned affected customers. 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,” the warning added.

It is highly unlikely that Apple will know the details of the attackers, why they are attacking, or what they may have already accomplished from the attacks. The reason behind targeting anyone is also controversial, as it claims they were attacked because of who they were or what they do in general. The attack also comes during local elections in multiple countries, including India. Apple sent a similar warning to journalists and politicians in India in October last year.

Since 2021, Apple has sent these warning messages to users in over 150 countries. A nonprofit advocacy group, Amnesty International, later reported that it had found NSO Group’s invasive spyware Pegasus on the iPhones of prominent journalists in India. Many tech firms have raised caution regarding state-sponsored efforts to sway election outcomes. Apple has not commented on this claim.

“We are unable to provide more information about what caused us to send you this notification, as that may help mercenary spyware attackers adapt their behavior to evade detection in the future,” said an Apple spokesperson. 

The company also explained that the attacks are highly sophisticated and rare, much more dangerous than regular spyware or criminal cyber activities. The company uses its indigenous internal threat intelligence information and investigations to detect such attacks. However, the warnings it issues come with high confidence in the efficiency, posing high risk to users.

By Arpit Dubey

Arpit is a dreamer, wanderer, and a tech nerd who loves to jot down tech musings and updates. With a logician mind, he is always chasing sunrises and tech advancements while secretly preparing for the robot uprising.