Apple Warns Users of Mercenary Spyware Attacks in 92 New Countries as Lockdown Mode Introduced Amid Pegasus Lawsuit Against NSO Group

Apple recently discovered new instances of mercenary spyware targeting iPhones in 92 additional countries, bringing the total number affected since 2021 to 58. The tech giant notified users via email and text message about these attacks and urged them to update their devices’ software and passwords for enhanced security. According to Apple’s policy on threat alerts, such messages are designed to inform and assist individuals who may have been targeted because of their identity or profession, as historically reported by civil society organizations, technology firms, and journalists, mercenary spyware attacks typically originate from state actors. Although Apple has not disclosed the origin countries for these incidents, it noted that those most commonly affected include journalists, activists, politicians, and diplomats worldwide. The company introduced Lockdown Mode in 2022 to mitigate cyberattacks by blocking certain apps, websites, attachments, and locations within images during an attack. This move comes amidst Apple’s ongoing lawsuit against the Israel-based NSO Group for its Pegasus spyware found on iPhones as far back as 2016; in response to this legal action, the Biden administration has also included NSO Group on a list of entities that “supplied spyware to foreign governments.”