In a case reminiscent of the Israeli Pegasus spyware scandal, Apple has warned users in 92 countries that their phones have been hacked by surveillance software of unknown origin.
The scope of the wiretapping operation suggests it is the work of some government, although Apple has made no mention of the origin of the "mercenaries" it says carried out the attack.
"Apple has detected that you have been targeted by a mercenary spyware attack that is attempting to remotely compromise the iPhone associated with Apple ID –xxx," read the message sent by the company, according to TechCrunch.
“This attack may be specifically targeting you because of your identity or status. While it is never possible to achieve absolute certainty in detecting such attacks, Apple has strong evidence for this warning – please take it seriously.
The development comes as dozens of countries around the world, from the US and India to South Africa, head to the polls – a time when cyber-espionage and influence-peddling operations are expected to ramp up.
Apple, like Meta Platforms, had filed a lawsuit against Israeli company NSO, creator of Pegasus spy software, which was used to monitor politicians, journalists, activists and other targets around the world, often by authoritarian regimes.
According to Apple's support page, since 2021 the company has issued spyware warnings in more than 150 countries.
India, which is also holding elections this year, is one of 92 countries affected by the new warning, Reuters reports.
Last October, some Indian politicians reported receiving a warning message that read "Apple believes you have been targeted in an attack on behalf of a foreign state."
Source: in.gr
