iPhone spyware alert: Apple warns users in 99 countries, Germany investigates possible attacks

A cyberattack on a smartphone does not always require its owner to click a suspicious link, download an attachment or install an unfamiliar application. Some sophisticated spyware attacks can reportedly compromise devices without any interaction from the user, making them particularly difficult to detect.

Apple has recently sent a fresh batch of threat notifications to users in 99 countries, warning them about potential mercenary spyware attacks. The development has also drawn attention in Germany, where lawmakers and government officials have received similar alerts. While authorities are investigating the incident, the identity of those behind the attacks and whether the targeted devices were successfully compromised remain unknown.

MUST READ | Apple Intelligence is eating 15GB on your iPhone. Here’s how to cut it to 100MB with iOS 27 update

Germany warns lawmakers after Apple spyware notifications

Germany's Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) became aware that members of the Bundestag, the country's parliament, and other public figures had received Apple's threat notifications. According to the Financial Times, the alerts began reaching German lawmakers and government officials on October 29, prompting the agency to issue an urgent warning over the weekend.

Digital minister Karsten Wildberger confirmed that members of the government and parliament had received the notifications. Government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius told the FT that Berlin was "taking the incident and the warning very seriously". He did not disclose whether Chancellor Friedrich Merz was among those targeted.

DON'T MISS | iPhone Duo is selling faster than Apple can make it, and there’s no end in sight: CEO John Ternus admits

The method reportedly used in the attacks is particularly concerning. The FT reported that attackers exploited a zero-click vulnerability, which can allow spyware to compromise a device without the user interacting with a message or file. According to the report, the attackers needed only the targets' phone numbers.

The BSI advised recipients that they "should therefore assume that their device may have been compromised". Such spyware can potentially access messages, including those sent through encrypted applications, along with contacts, calls and location information. It may also activate a device's camera and microphone.

Who is behind the spyware attacks?

The Financial Times reported that officials believed the operation was almost certainly state-backed. However, neither the attackers nor the spyware vendor have been identified. TechCrunch also reported that it remains unclear which government, if any, orchestrated the latest targeting.

The wider notification campaign includes people outside Germany. Beirut-based filmmaker Radwan Mortada shared an Apple threat notification on X, saying he had received another warning after earlier being targeted by Pegasus spyware in 2017 and 2021. According to the notification he shared, Apple's latest batch of alerts covered users in 99 countries.

Commercial spyware companies develop surveillance tools and sell access to governments. Israel's NSO Group, which makes Pegasus, is among the best-known providers. TechCrunch also reported that Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office reportedly bought access to Pegasus in 2019.

Apple does not identify the attackers or confirm whether a recipient's device has been successfully compromised. Its notifications are intended to warn individuals it believes may have been specifically targeted.