Apple Warns of Mercenary Spyware Attacks Targeting User Devices

Apple has issued urgent warnings about sophisticated mercenary spyware attacks targeting specific users worldwide, including journalists, activists, politicians and diplomats. The attacks cost millions of dollars and target only a small number of individuals based on their profession or status, and they are often linked to state actors and private companies like NSO Group, which develops Pegasus spyware.

Since 2021, Apple has sent threat notifications to users in over 150 countries who may have been targeted by these attacks, detected through internal intelligence and investigation methods. When Apple detects suspicious activity, users are alerted via a threat notification at account.apple[.]com and by email and iMessage to addresses tied to their Apple Account. The French cybersecurity agency CERT-FR has documented multiple notification campaigns in 2025 on March 5, April 29, June 25 and September 3.

Apple also emphasises that legitimate threat notifications never ask users to click links, open files, install apps or provide passwords, and it recommends enabled Lockdown Mode and other protective measures.