Apple Sends 'mercenary Spyware Attack' Alerts To Users In 92 Countries

Apple Inc. (AAPL) issued a warning to iPhone users in 92 countries about potential spyware attacks that could compromise their devices.

The notification email, which was sent to affected individuals, stated that they were the focus of a ‘mercenary spyware attack’ aimed at compromising their iPhone linked to their Apple ID.

The Economic Times first reported on the issue, revealing that India is among the countries affected. However, it remains unclear whether iPhone users in the US were also targeted, as Apple did not provide any further details apart from what was communicated in the notification email.

According to Apple, the attack possibly targeted users due to their identity or activities, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation. The company refrained from disclosing further details regarding the notification, citing the potential risk of aiding spyware attackers in evading detection in the future.

Apple emphasized that its threat notifications are highly reliable alerts indicating individual targeting by mercenary spyware attacks, even though investigations can never guarantee complete certainty.

If an iPhone user is impacted, they will encounter a “Threat Notification” banner on top of an Apple webpage after logging in with their Apple ID on appleid.apple.com. Apple will then dispatch an email and iMessage notification to the user’s phone and associated email address.

The company recommends that users immediately enable Lockdown Mode in Settings > Privacy & Security > Lockdown Mode, which offers the strongest protection against sophisticated digital threats.