The Aryavarth Express
Agency(New Delhi): Apple device users in India and 91 other countries have been alerted through emails about potential targeted attacks by mercenary spyware. These emails, sent at 12:30 am IST, warned the recipients that their iPhones might be compromised, with the subject line stating, ‘ALERT: Apple detected a targeted mercenary spyware attack against your iPhone’.
This alert informed users that they were specifically targeted due to their personal or professional backgrounds. The message emphasized the rarity and sophistication of these spyware attacks, likening them to others like the Pegasus from NSO Group. It stressed that such operations are expensive, elaborate, and continuous, affecting a very narrow group of individuals worldwide.
Apple has issued similar notifications periodically since 2021 when it first launched its threat notification system, initially developed to counter state-sponsored attacks. This system was part of a broader response that included a lawsuit against the NSO Group after revelations about the misuse of their Pegasus spyware.
These notifications are part of an ongoing effort to inform users potentially affected by advanced threats, which Apple sends out multiple times a year. Despite the lack of specific attribution to any attackers or regions, these alerts serve as a critical reminder of the ongoing vulnerabilities within digital platforms across various devices and applications, including iOS, Android, and Windows.
Apple’s proactive notifications follow increased global concern over digital privacy and security, especially after previous alerts targeted politicians, journalists, and public figures. The current notifications are an extension of these efforts, underscoring the ongoing and sophisticated nature of cyber threats in today’s digital landscape.