Apple Issues Spyware Attack Alerts to iPhone Users in India and 97 Other Countries
Apple has issued warnings to users in India and 97 other countries about potential “mercenary spyware attacks” on their iPhones.
These attacks, like those using Pegasus spyware from the NSO Group, are very rare and more advanced than typical cybercriminal activity or malware.
On July 10, Apple sent notifications to users, including Iltija Mufti and Pushparaj Deshpande, informing them of possible hacks on their phones.
Since 2021, Apple has been sending similar notifications to users in over 150 countries.
The July 10 notification stated that such attacks are very expensive, costing millions of dollars, and are targeted at a small number of individuals worldwide.
Due to the high cost, complexity, and global nature of these spyware attacks, Apple does not link them to any specific attackers or regions.
Apple relies on its own threat intelligence and investigations to detect these attacks.
In the past, similar notifications have caused political controversy, with accusations of government spying on opponents.
A Supreme Court-appointed committee did not find Pegasus spyware on the phones examined.
In April, India’s cybersecurity agency, Cert-In, found several vulnerabilities in Apple’s operating systems, especially in the Safari web browser.
Cert-In noted that older versions of Safari and iOS/iPadOS had flaws that could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code on targeted devices.
Stay informed with our financial updates, stocks, bonds, commodities. Get global & political insights. Follow us & enable notifications for the latest updates.