Apple notifies users in 92 countries about potential mercenary spyware attacks

Apple issued threat notifications to iPhone users in 92 countries on Wednesday, alerting them to potential targeting by mercenary spyware attacks. The company sent these alerts at 12 p.m. Pacific Time, but did not disclose the attackers’ identities or the specific countries affected.

The notification, which TechCrunch has reviewed, informed affected users that Apple had detected attempts to remotely compromise their iPhones associated with their Apple ID. The warning emphasized that the attack may be targeting them specifically based on their identity or activities. Apple urged users to take the warning seriously, although it acknowledged that achieving absolute certainty in detecting such attacks is not always possible.

These threat notifications are not uncommon from Apple, with the company sending similar alerts to users in over 150 countries since 2021, according to an updated Apple support page. Last October, Apple issued identical warnings to journalists and politicians in India, where nonprofit advocacy group Amnesty International later reported finding NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware on iPhones belonging to prominent journalists.

Although the spyware alerts coincide with various nations preparing for elections, Apple did not comment on the timing in its notifications. The company cited security reasons for withholding specific information about the nature of the threat, as disclosing such details could help spyware attackers evade detection in the future.