Apple Warns More Users About Mercenary Spyware Attacks

[MacRumors]

Apple this week sent out notices to people who may have been targeted with government-sponsored spyware attacks, reports TechCrunch. An Italian journalist and a Dutch activist said that they received notifications from Apple via iMessage and email.

Apple detected that you are being targeted by a mercenary spyware attack that is trying to remotely compromise the iPhone associated with your Apple Account. 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.

Apple said in its message that the notification was being sent to targeted users in 100 countries, and the company advised that those receiving the alert enable Lockdown Mode and ensure that their iPhones are updated to iOS 18.4.1. Apple also warned against opening links or attachments from unexpected or unknown senders.

We are unable to provide more information about what caused us to send you this notification, as that may help mercenary spyware attacker adapt their behavior to evade detection in the future. Apple threat notifications like this one will never ask you to click any links, install an app or profile, or provide your Apple Account password or verification code by email or over the phone.

Apple has been sending out notices like this to those targeted in state-sponsored attacks since 2021. Many state-sponsored surveillance campaigns use the Pegasus spyware from NSO Group, and Apple launched a lawsuit against NSO Group in 2021.

According to a support document on Apple's threat notification policy, Apple sends out alerts multiple times per year when attacks are detected, and to date, users in over 150 countries have been notified about potential attacks.

Article Link: Apple Warns More Users About Mercenary Spyware Attacks

 

[Will Co]

Good on you, Apple. Does any other company do this kind of thing?

 

[mozumder]

Good on Apple

 

[now i see it]

mercenary spyware attack

that sounds even worse than a panic attack

 

[The Clark]

I like how the picture associated with this article is just a gray lock lol

 

[Attirex]

Good thing nobody gives a sh*t about me (including my wife and kids).

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

Good on you, Apple. Does any other company do this kind of thing?

Yes. Meta contacts Whatsapp users targeted by spyware. Like Apple they are suing NSO for spyware attacks.

 

[al256]

Good on you, Apple. Does any other company do this kind of thing?

Yeah. Yahoo did back in 2016 https://arstechnica.com/information...rs-penetrated-deeper-than-previously-thought/ You can even see the screenshot in the article.

 

[Howard2k]

Good work from Apple. It's pretty alarming how much work is done to break into our devices from the large actors.

 

[xander49x]

Apple is about privacy, do I trust them 100%? no but I trust them more than any other company with my information.

 

[qnssekr]

Thank goodness they do this. Unlike these other tech ******** companies.

 

[mogens]

Big surprise,- an israeli company.
The lawsuit is antisemetic!

 

[TheDailyApple]

Good on you, Apple. Does any other company do this kind of thing?

Absolutely. I got a call from microsoft a while back saying they detected a virus on my computer (don’t know why they monitor macs tho). I sent them $2,000 dollars in apple gift cards and gave them remote access to my computer and they were able to clean it right up.

My computer’s been a bit sluggish ever since, but I assume it’s difficult to completely eradicate the effects of something like that.

Spoiler

Yes, of course i’m joking

 

[UpsetTheAppleCart]

Big surprise,- an Israeli company.

Absolute shocker lol

 

[russell_314]

If you’re important enough to get a notification directly from Apple your devices should have been in lockdown mode last year 😂

 

[MysteriousStain]

If you’re important enough to get a notification directly from Apple your devices should have been in lockdown mode last year 😂

You don’t have to be important, just a thorn in some regime’s side.

 

[russell_314]

You don’t have to be important, just a thorn in some regime’s side.

That makes you important. If one person and becomes a thorn in the side of an entire government that’s pretty impressive IMO. I would so much rather be a thorn in the side of some small regime than a large one. If you’re the thorn in the side of countries like the USA, Russia or China you’ll need more than lockdown mode 😂

 

[MichaelYYZ]

Weird... I have not received the security notice... yet.

 

[Howard2k]

You don’t have to be important, just a thorn in some regime’s side.

Or even a contact of someone who is a thorn in some regime's side. They don't just target the target, they target the target's extended circle.

 

[BenGoren]

Good thing nobody gives a sh*t about me (including my wife and kids).

The scary thing is … many of those already in the CECOT facility in El Salvador thought the exact same.

Further, Apple says it’s sent notices to people in over 150 countries, which is 75% of the countries in the world. It’s a sure bet that includes repressive regimes where regular, unremarkable people are routinely “disappeared” or otherwise targeted for no good reason.

To make matters worse, even if you’re an American in America with impeccable MAGA credentials, it’s guaranteed that there are multiple foreign governments who would be more than happy to gain leverage over you.

And, to tie it all together, multiple potential adversaries have the computing power readily available to do massive automated indiscriminate sweeps of huge swaths of populations to look for even the most inconsequential of stuff. Especially considering how much data DOGE is on record as having exfiltrated using methods known to not comply with extant data security and integrity protocols.

In short, nobody is safe. For better or worse, somebody gives a sh*t about everybody.

b&

 

[CharlesShaw]

Good thing nobody gives a sh*t about me (including my wife and kids).

Just don't post anything on MR that any government might find offensive and you'll be fine.

 

[TJFDenver]

if I owned my own hardware and wrote my own software for a device that accesses and can be accessed from the internet, why is it rocket science to identify / block threats such as pegasus? unless DOD has their hands in apple/google software (or hardware)

 

[contacos]

if I owned my own hardware and wrote my own software for a device that accesses and can be accessed from the internet, why is it rocket science to identify / block threats such as pegasus? unless DOD has their hands in apple/google software (or hardware)

It's a cat and mouse game

 

[SactoGuy18]

This is why if you can do it, update your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 as soon as possible. For Android users, make sure you have the latest security patches installed from the phone manufacturer. I'd also recommend updating the apps you normally use to the latest version, too.

 

[SoldOnApple]

I'd poop myself if I got that warning. It could mean Mossad or some other spy agency is after you.