Overview
- Apple sent a new batch of threat notifications on Thursday, August 13 that reached users it suspects were targeted by mercenary spyware in 110 countries.
- The alerts now appear as push notifications on an iPhone lock screen, as emails, and as a banner when users sign in to account.apple.com to make warnings harder to miss.
- Apple calls the messages “high-confidence” warnings, urges recipients to turn on Lockdown Mode, and recommends contacting rapid-response support such as Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline.
- The company will not disclose technical detection details or attribute individual notices to specific spyware vendors or governments because it says that would help attackers evade detection.
- Mercenary spyware is costly and highly targeted, typically used against a small number of high-value people like journalists, activists, politicians, and diplomats, and Apple says most users will never be targeted.