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Apple warns of sophisticated spyware attacks targeting users in 110 countries
🇲🇦 Morocco /Conflict & Security

Apple warns of sophisticated spyware attacks targeting users in 110 countries

From Hespress · () Arabic

Translated from Arabic, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Apple has warned users in 110 countries about sophisticated spyware attacks, likely conducted by government-backed entities.
  • The company sent alerts via iPhone lock screens, email, and Apple account logins to protect users from impersonation attempts.
  • Security researchers advise updating iOS, enabling automatic updates, and activating Lockdown Mode to mitigate these threats.

Apple has issued a new wave of warnings to users worldwide, suspecting they are targets of advanced spyware. The alerts, sent to individuals in 110 countries, indicate that these sophisticated tools are employed by government entities to infiltrate personal devices. This brings the total number of countries affected by such alerts to over 150, highlighting the global reach of state-sponsored spyware.

Apple has detected a mercenary spyware attack targeting your iPhone. There are actions you can take now to protect your data and device.

— Apple alertThe text of the alert that appears on the iPhone lock screen.

Users receive these warnings through multiple channels: an immediate notification on their iPhone lock screen, followed by an email and a third alert when logging into their Apple account. This multi-pronged approach is designed to safeguard users against potential impersonation scams. The lock screen alert directly states, "Apple has detected a mercenary spyware attack targeting your iPhone. There are actions you can take now to protect your data and device."

Wave of new notifications

— John Scott-RailtonA senior researcher at the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab, warning about the new wave of spyware alerts.

Security researchers, including John Scott-Railton from the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab, have identified this new wave of attacks. Scott-Railton urged anyone receiving a similar notification to seek specialized security assistance immediately. He stressed the importance of verifying alerts through iPhone settings or the official account.apple.com website, warning against fake notifications that might ask users to download files or provide passwords. He also recommended practical steps such as updating the operating system to the latest version (iOS 26.6), enabling automatic updates, and contacting digital security helplines.

Anyone receiving a similar notification should seek specialized security assistance immediately.

— John Scott-RailtonThe researcher's advice to users who receive spyware attack alerts.

Apple also advises enabling "Lockdown Mode," a security feature that significantly hinders spyware attacks. According to Apple, no device with Lockdown Mode activated has been successfully compromised to date. While such attacks are described as "relatively rare," the increasing availability of spyware technology has led to its exploitation by governments targeting activists and journalists.

Real notifications never ask you to download files, install configuration profiles, or provide passwords or verification codes.

— John Scott-RailtonWarning users about fake notifications and what real alerts do not request.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hespress in Arabic. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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