Apple has issued spyware warning notifications to users across the globe this week, citing credible evidence of government-backed targeting.
This marks one of Apple’s broadest-ever alert campaigns, affecting users in 100 countries, according to one of the recipients, Ciro Pellegrino, an Italian journalist at Fanpage. Pellegrino revealed that he received both an email and an SMS from Apple, warning that his iPhone had likely been the subject of a “mercenary spyware” attack. The notification emphasized that the attack was likely linked to who he is or what he does professionally.
“Did this really happen? Yes, it is not a joke,” wrote Pellegrino in a Fanpage article published Tuesday, highlighting Apple’s message that multiple individuals were affected by the same threat.
Eva Vlaardingerbroek, a Dutch right-wing commentator and activist, also confirmed receiving the same warning from Apple. In a video posted to X, she shared a screenshot of the alert stating: “Apple detected a targeted mercenary spyware attack against your iPhone.” She interpreted the attack as a clear attempt to “intimidate and silence” her due to her public stance and political activities.
Apple’s alerts come with a stern recommendation: users should take the warning seriously, as the company has “high confidence” in its findings — despite the complexity of definitively identifying state-sponsored attacks.
While the specific spyware campaign remains unconfirmed, this is not the first time Italy-based journalists have been caught in the crosshairs. Earlier this year, WhatsApp alerted Fanpage editor Francesco Cancellato that his phone had been targeted by spyware allegedly developed by Israeli firm Paragon Solutions. Citizen Lab later verified it was investigating those intrusions. Two more Italian NGO workers were also later identified as targets.
Neither Apple nor Paragon has responded to recent inquiries for comment, and Apple has remained tight-lipped about the broader scope of the campaign.
For more details, read the original article on TechCrunch.