The tech giant Apple has issued a new warning to iPhone users in at least 98 countries, including India, regarding a potential new mercenary spyware attack similar to 'Pegasus'. According to the Apple warning, they have detected that "you are being targeted by a mercenary spyware attack that is attempting to remotely compromise the iPhone associated with your Apple ID."
In the warning, the iPhone maker further said that this attack is “likely targeting you specifically because of who you are or what you do.”
“Although it’s never possible to achieve absolute certainty when detecting such attacks, Apple has high confidence in this warning — please take it seriously,” the company added.
Apple's latest threat notification informed targeted iPhone users that the attacks launched on their devices "cost millions of dollars and are individually deployed against a very small number of people. However, the targeting is ongoing and global."
What spyware attack victims can do?
Apple offers iPhone users a way to protect against spyware like Pegasus. The iPhone includes a special feature called Lockdown Mode that helps users avoid dangerous spyware. When activated, Lockdown Mode provides additional protection for the device. This feature is designed for specific individuals and restricts certain apps, websites, and features to minimize the risk of being targeted by specialized spyware. As a result, some features may not be available at all while Lockdown Mode is active.
Previous warnings
In October of last year, the US-based technology company sent out similar warnings to users in India. In April of this year, the tech giant sent threat notifications to select users in 92 countries, including some in India, who may have been targeted using 'mercenary spyware' such as Pegasus from the NSO Group.
Since 2021, the company has sent threat notifications multiple times a year as it detected these attacks. Most recently, the Indian government warned Apple users in India about multiple vulnerabilities in their devices.
Meanwhile, in recent cybercrime news, it was reported that cyber attackers have stolen an estimated 300 million South African rands (approximately 16.6 million USD) from the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure over the past 10 years. This information was confirmed by Minister Dean Macpherson. Furthermore, Macpherson mentioned that the actual amount stolen could be even higher than the initial estimate as the investigation progresses, as stated in an official statement.
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Inputs from IANS
