Apple has issued a warning to iPhone users in 98 other countries, including India, regarding the increased risk of attacks by mercenary spyware. This action is in response to the Cupertino tech giant's earlier alerts about state-sponsored cyber threats. After an update in April of this year, Apple's cybersecurity alert strategy changed significantly, covering mercenary spyware threats in addition to state-sponsored activities.
What Did Apple's Message Say?
According to the Apple notification, Pegasus from the NSO Group is used in mercenary spyware attacks, which are extremely rare and far more sophisticated than typical cybercrime activity or consumer malware. . Apple continued The targeting is ongoing and global, but the attacks could cost millions of dollars and are individually deployed against a very small number of people. .
Change in Notifications
With reference to state-sponsored cyberattacks Apple had earlier in October 2023, they sparked similar worries among users across several nations, including India.
That being said, Apple made a significant shift in how it reports and supports its users against malicious cyber activity when it updated its security notification protocol in April of this year. The label changed to mercenary spyware attack.
This categorization is a reaction to the growing complexity and worldwide reach of cyberattacks, especially those utilizing NSO Group-developed tools like Pegasus.
Apple claims that these mercenary spyware attacks are extremely sophisticated and uncommon, affecting a very limited number of people and possibly having serious repercussions. It was emphasized by the company that these kinds of attacks are part of ongoing global targeting efforts and could cost millions of dollars.
Following these notifications, Apple held talks with Indian authorities to resolve issues and improve user security against online threats. Apple's dedication to managing the intricate relationships between corporate responsibility and governmental expectations is emphasized by these conversations.
Earlier this year, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) identified vulnerabilities in Apple's iOS, particularly in Safari web browser versions before 17.4.1, highlighting potential risks of remote code execution on targeted devices. This further underscores the critical need for users to update their systems promptly to mitigate these security risks.