In the last days of April, Apple has issued a remarkable security notification that concerns iPhone users around the world. The warnings sent by the company were directed to people who were exposed to mercenary spyware attacks, which were thought to be state -supported. These notifications were delivered to users via the Apple Identity e-mail addresses and imessage. Warnings contain strong symptoms that the attack is targeted due to users’ identity or activities.
Apple, these warnings attacked the number of people attacked by drawing attention to the abundance, emphasized that users in 100 different countries are informed at the same time. Behind the attacks are thought to be private companies that provide spyware services to states. For this reason, Apple states that notifications should be taken into consideration. While the warnings do not take part in connection or additional, users are recommended to get help from safe resources.
The name that explained that he received the first notification was Ciro Pellegrino, a journalist working on the Italian -based Fanpage news platform. Pellegrino wrote from Apple that he was informed by both e-mail and text message and that he was not alone. This statement reveals that the attacks are carried out for certain goals, not randomly. After Pellegrino’s statements, attention was turned into the source and prevalence of these software.
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Another user that Apple sent a warning was the Dutch political activist Eva Vlaardingerbroek. Vlaardingerbroek shared Apple’s notification with the public via X. The warning was clearly stated that the iPhone was under a “targeted mercenary spyware attack”. Apple said it is difficult to fully identify such attacks, but the warning sent is based on high reliability.
Eva Vlaardingerbroek interpreted the notification as an attempt to intimidate it. In his own words, this attack was carried out due to his identity or political activities. This shows that state -supported attacks are directed not only to journalists, but also to public people in different fields. However, Apple has not yet shared the identities of the users who sent notification or the technical details of the attack with the public.
In Italy, other examples of attacks of similar types have recently come up. Francesco Cancellato, the editor -in -chief of Fanpage, received a similar security warning by WhatsApp in February. According to WhatsApp, the attack was carried out with a spyware developed by the Israeli cyber security firm Paragon Solutions. After the targeting of Cancellato’s device, it turned out that the same software was used against other civil society actors.
Paragon Solutions had to end its relations with state institutions in Italy. However, the effect of spyware on journalists, NGO members and activists in Europe has led to intense debate on both local and international platforms. Citizen Lab of the University of Toronto, while continuing the technical follow -up of these events, legal sanctions within the European Union came to the agenda. These developments brought up the limits and ethical responsibilities of digital surveillance.
Apple offers a special security measures that it calls “Lockdown Mode” (Locking Mode) against such targeted attacks. This mode limits some advanced functions on users’ devices and makes it more resistant to external attacks. Particularly, high -risk people, such as journalists, activists and political figures, are recommended to activate this mode. In addition, Apple users are advised to keep their operating systems up to date and avoid unknown connections.
Apple has been publishing similar security notifications since 2021. In the company’s support documents, such attacks are generally carried out by state -supported structures and contain highly sophisticated techniques. So far, thousands of users in more than 150 countries have faced these notifications. The company’s policy in this direction is based on timely and explicit information.
In any case, these developments require users to be conscious not only by technical security measures, but also to digital rights and surveillance policies. The level reached by mercenary spy software attacks brings new questions about the security of personal data and digital privacy. Apple’s notifications can create new debates on how not only technology companies, but also public authorities will be involved in the process. Especially in Europe, anti -digital surveillance arrangements are expected to accelerate.