Apple Warns Users in 110 Countries They May Be Targets of Mercenary Spyware

Apple's newest wave of mercenary-spyware threat notifications reached 110 countries and now appear as on-device lock-screen alerts. The program has warned people in more than 150 countries since 2021.

Apple has sent out a fresh wave of threat notifications to iPhone users it believes were individually targeted by mercenary spyware, with the latest round reaching people in 110 countries.

The delivery itself has changed: a warning now appears directly on an iPhone's lock screen and in Settings, alongside an email and a banner on the user's Apple Account page. Apple says the program has already notified people in more than 150 countries since it launched in 2021.

Mercenary spyware is a fundamentally different threat from everyday malware. These attacks cost millions of dollars, have a short shelf life, and are aimed at a very small number of specific individuals — often journalists, activists, politicians, diplomats, and lawyers — targeted, as Apple puts it, "because of who they are or what they do."

Apple's notifications are high-confidence alerts and never ask recipients to click a link, open a file, install a profile, or hand over a password. Anyone who sees one should verify it by signing in at account.apple.com, leave the device untouched, and seek expert help such as the Digital Security Helpline run by Access Now. Apple also recommends enabling Lockdown Mode.

Sources: Malwarebytes | Security Affairs