Apple Inc has warned its users in India and 91 other countries that they have been exposed to Pegasus. For example, mercenaries can become victims of spyware attacks. Such spyware attacks often target journalists, activists, politicians, and very few others. A large number of people are targeted. In this warning, Apple has not used the word ‘government-sponsored’ used in previous warnings in the context of such malware attacks. It has been released at a time when elections are being held in about 60 countries including India this year.
In a notification e-mail sent to its users, Apple said that it has found that the attackers tried to tamper with the iPhone while sitting at a distance. The company had previously said on its website that its notifications regarding the threat were designed to inform and help users who could be targeted by government-sponsored attackers. But Apple said in an update posted on its website on Wednesday that the notification regarding the threat is designed to help users who may be personally targeted by mercenary spyware attacks.
The iPhone maker also says that such attacks have historically been linked to the government, including private companies developing mercenary spyware like Pegasus on their behalf.
A source close to the matter said that the reason for removing the government-sponsored word from Apple’s notification is due to repeated pressure from the Indian government in this regard. After Apple warned of government-sponsored attacks in October last year, opposition leaders accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government of hacking their mobile phones. Apple has held extensive discussions with Indian authorities before issuing the latest alert, the source said. However, there has been no response from the Indian government on the matter.
According to Apple’s notification email, Mercenary spyware attacks are infrequent and are significantly more sophisticated than regular cybercriminal activities or malware. Apple has sent such notifications of danger several times a year since the year 2021. So far, it has alerted users in more than 150 countries in total.
The iPhone maker has mentioned in the notification some additional steps that users can take to protect their phones, including enabling lockdown mode. Apple has also advised its users to update their phones with the latest security patches – and be alert for suspicious links or messages.
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