Apple’s Warnings About Spyware Are Real, Don’t Ignore Them
“Mercenary spyware” isn’t targeted at everybody, but don’t skip the notification if you see it.
Apple has issued warnings about the increasing threat of spyware attacks, emphasizing their sophistication and potential to target specific individuals. These attacks, known as mercenary spyware attacks, are reportedly more advanced than typical cybercriminal activity as they focus on specific people and their devices, making them harder to detect and prevent. Apple did not give further comment when asked for clarification.
When an Apple user encounters a push notification on their iPhone, it is crucial not to dismiss it, as this could be the only warning sign of such an attack. If a user receives one of these notifications, it is highly likely that they have been targeted by the ongoing attack.
Apple's threat notifications aim to inform and assist users who may have been individually targeted by these mercenary spyware attacks, likely due to their identity or profession. The attacks are typically carried out by state-level actors targeting politicians, activists, and journalists. However, most people are unlikely to be targets of these attacks.
If Apple detects that an individual has been a victim of these attacks, users will receive an Apple Threat Notification on their phone's lock screen, in the settings, and via an email to the addresses linked to their Apple account. They will also see the threat notification at the top of their account page when they sign in to their Apple account on account.apple.com.
Apple strongly advises users to take these alerts seriously and immediately enable Lockdown Mode through their iPhone's settings. Additionally, it is recommended to contact experts for emergency assistance through the 24/7 Digital Security Helpline. Apple, however, does not disclose the reasons behind issuing threat notifications to prevent state-level actors from adapting their behavior to evade detection.
Even if an individual is not targeted, downloading the latest available software updates is highly recommended, as they contain the most recent security fixes to ensure optimal protection. Furthermore, users should exercise caution with unknown links, use a passcode, Touch ID, or Face ID on their devices, and enable multifactor authentication for enhanced security.
Written by urgent.news from CNET's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
