Apple on Wednesday sent threat notifications to users in 92 countries. The warnings say the users may have been the target of mercenary spyware attacks, due to their identity or job.
As reported by TechCrunch, Apple sent the alerts to the affected individuals at 12 p.m. Pacific Time via email and iMessage using the contact details associated with the user’s Apple ID. A notification was also posted at the top of the user’s appleid.apple.com page.
“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 -xxx-,” the company wrote in the warning to affected customers. “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.”
“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,” added the warning.
In an updated support document, Apple noted that it has sent similar threat notifications to users 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,” said the company. “As a result, Apple does not attribute the attacks or resulting threat notifications to any specific attackers or geographical regions.”
In October, Apple warned independent journalists and opposition politicians in India of possible hacking by government hackers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government officials responded by targeting Apple rather than addressing the hacking concerns.
The alerts come at a time when many nations are preparing for democratic elections. The warning to customers reads: “Mercenary spyware attacks, such as those using Pegasus from the NSO Group, are exceptionally rare and vastly more sophisticated than regular cybercriminal activity or consumer malware.”
Apple advises those who have received a threat notification to seek expert help, such as the rapid-response emergency security assistance provided by the Digital Security Helpline at the nonprofit Access Now.
