Apple issues new iPhone ‘spyware’ warning to users in nearly 100 countries

Apple issued a new wave of spyware warnings this week, targeting iPhone users in 98 countries. On Wednesday, social media buzzed with iPhone users sharing screenshots and experiences of receiving these critical alerts.
Here’s the key part of the Apple notification, sent from threats-notification@apple.com:
“Apple has detected a potential mercenary spyware attack targeting your iPhone. This highly sophisticated attempt likely exploits vulnerabilities to gain remote access to your device. Due to the specific nature of these attacks, they are often directed at individuals based on their identity or activities. While complete certainty is impossible, Apple has high confidence in this notification. We urge you to take immediate action to protect your device.”
Matt Binder for Mashable:
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In its notification, Apple says it’s been sending these types of warnings to affected users since 2021.
However, it seems these notifications first started using the “mercenary spyware attacks” language more recently. Apple described the spyware attacks in April as such, but TechCrunch reports that previous language from Apple described the attacks as “state-sponsored.” That language no longer appears in Apple’s warnings.
Apple says in the notification that the iPhone users receiving the warning are likely being targeted due to who they are or what they do. In viewing social media posts from users sharing the notification, it seems a significant number of these users work as journalists or in news media in some capacity. 

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MacDailyNews Take: The attacks are state-sponsored regardless of Apple’s recent reticence to state the obvious. If you’re concerned, more info about Lockdown Mode, which helps protect devices against extremely rare and highly sophisticated cyber attacks, can be found here.
See also: Apple drops term ‘state-sponsored’ attacks from its threat notification policy – April 11, 2024
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