Apple Sends New ‘Threat Notification’ Alerts over Mercenary Spyware Attacks
Apple says the alerts can help recipients secure devices and uncover wider abuse, as spyware attacks remain rare but increasingly used against critics.
- Apple sent notifications on Thursday to users in 110 countries, warning that their devices might have been compromised by mercenary spyware. The tech giant issues these alerts when it suspects government-backed surveillance attempts.
- To date, Apple has notified customers in over 150 countries, highlighting how surveillance technology has spread globally. Spyware attacks are generally rare, but are often used by governments to target critics and civil society members.
- Apple updated the user experience, sending push notifications directly to lock screens that urge recipients to take action. Users are advised to enable Lockdown Mode, a security feature that makes spyware attacks significantly harder to succeed.
- Citizen Lab's John Scott-Railton told TechCrunch these new push notifications are a "big improvement" in urging people to secure their devices. He noted that such alerts often trigger investigations that reveal many more cases of abuse.
- Citing the ongoing scandal in Poland over the former government's use of spyware against rivals, Scott-Railton said that without Apple's notifications, that entire massive scandal about spyware abuse in the Polish election wouldn't have been uncovered.
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Shafaq News - Follow-up: Apple has sent a new batch of alerts to users whose devices it suspects are being targeted by sophisticated spyware capable of compromising iPhones, iPads, and Macs—techniques commonly used by government agencies. Apple told TechCrunch that it sent the alerts to users in 110 countries, bringing the total number of countries where it has previously notified users to over 150, reflecting the widespread use of spyware for g…
Apple is warning users in 110 countries about a spyware attack. Here's what to do if you receive such a notification.
Apple alerted users in 110 countries that their devices could have been attacked with spy software, reports TechCrunch. The publication does not specify how many users have received notifications.
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