Apple to issue a warning in India and 91 other countries of a potential “Mercenary Spyware” attack

Apple is expected to soon inform iPhone users in India and 91 other nations about a possible “mercenary spyware” threat, as per a report in the Economic Times. This kind of attack, unlike typical cybercrimes, aims to gain unauthorized entry into a user’s device.

Reportedly the users will receive a notification saying: “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 notification, reportedly from Apple, highlights that such attacks, particularly those utilizing tools like Pegasus from the NSO Group, are rare and highly advanced. It stresses the importance of taking the warning seriously, emphasizing that these attacks are targeted and sophisticated. Apple has updated its support page with advice on protecting against such threats, marking the second time it has issued such warnings.

The company maintains a policy of not disclosing details about potential attackers to prevent them from adapting their methods, and it has sent similar threat notifications to users in over 150 countries since 2021. Prior to 2021, both Apple and Google had issued warnings globally, including in India, about potential compromises due to attacks involving Pegasus spyware.