Apple expands spyware alerts to users in 110 countries

Apple says it sent spyware warnings on Thursday to users in 110 countries, adding lock-screen push alerts to make the notices harder to miss.

Apple has sent a new wave of spyware notifications to users it believes may have been targeted by advanced surveillance software. The warning matters because it concerns devices people rely on for work, communication, and personal data — and because the spyware in question is typically linked to government-backed attacks.

The company said the latest notifications went out on Thursday to users in 110 countries. According to IT-PUB News, Apple has now warned customers in more than 150 countries overall, a sign of how far this kind of spyware has spread.

Apple now shows spyware warnings on the lock screen

In a new support article, Apple said it will now notify users directly on the iPhone lock screen with a push alert urging them to take action. The company also told TechCrunch it has updated the experience so recipients can more easily find the information they need.

The alert itself is blunt. It says Apple detected a “mercenary spyware attack” targeting the user’s iPhone and that there are steps they can take to protect their data and device.

Apple also sends the warnings by email and displays them when users sign in to their account.

The alert signals serious risk, not automatic proof of a hack

Apple’s notifications are meant to flag a serious threat, but they do not necessarily mean a device has already been compromised. The company’s message is that users should still treat the warning as urgent and take protective steps right away.

That distinction is important. A suspected attack is not the same as a confirmed breach, but Apple is still telling recipients to respond as if their security may be at risk.

The company also directs users to support resources and advises them to enable Lockdown Mode, a security feature designed to make spyware attacks much harder to carry out.

Lockdown Mode is central to Apple’s response

Apple says it has not seen a case in which a device was hacked while Lockdown Mode was enabled. That makes the feature one of the clearest protections the company is recommending for people who receive one of these alerts.

The warning also comes with broader guidance on where users can turn for help after getting the notification. Apple appears to be trying not just to warn people, but to move them quickly toward the next steps before attackers can do more harm.

For ordinary users, the practical message is simple: a spyware alert from Apple is not something to dismiss. It may be the first sign that personal messages, photos, or other sensitive data could be exposed to a targeted attack.

Citizen Lab says the new alerts can reveal broader targeting

John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at digital research group Citizen Lab, first drew attention to the latest round of notifications in a post on X. He called the new push alerts a “big improvement” over Apple’s earlier spyware warnings, which the company first introduced in 2021.

Scott-Railton said the alerts can do more than warn a single person. In his view, they can also indicate that a wider community is being targeted, prompting some recipients to seek help and leading to investigations that uncover many more cases.

He also pointed to the continuing spyware scandal in Poland over the former government’s use of surveillance tools against political rivals. According to Scott-Railton, that scandal may not have come to light without Apple’s notifications.

Apple’s alerts touch a wider spyware abuse problem

Apple says spyware attacks are generally rare, but concern has grown as surveillance tools have become more widespread in recent years. That spread has made it easier for governments to misuse the technology against critics, including members of civil society.

That is why Apple’s alerts draw attention beyond the individual device owner. They sit at the intersection of personal security, political surveillance, and digital rights — and can expose patterns that might otherwise remain hidden.

For users, the takeaway is straightforward. If Apple sends a spyware warning, it should be taken seriously, even if the device has not been confirmed as compromised. In some cases, the alert may be the first and only sign that someone tried to target it.