Apple alerts users in 110 countries to spyware attacks

Apple has sent a fresh round of threat notifications to customers it suspects have been targeted with mercenary spyware capable of compromising their iPhones, iPads, or Macs. The alerts were dispatched on August 13, 2026, to users in 110 countries, according to the company.

The notifications, which appear as push alerts on the iPhone lock screen, warn recipients that "Apple detected a mercenary spyware attack targeted at your iPhone" and urge them to take immediate protective steps. Apple also sends these warnings via email and when users log into their accounts. The company has updated the user experience to make it easier for recipients to access guidance on what to do next.

These alerts matter because mercenary spyware, typically used by governments, has spread to more than 150 countries, Apple says. While spyware attacks are generally rare, the technology has been abused to target critics and members of civil society. John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at Citizen Lab, first highlighted the latest batch of notifications in a thread on X.

Apple's support article advises recipients to enable Lockdown Mode, a security feature that makes spyware attacks far more difficult to succeed. According to Apple, it has yet to see a case where someone's device was hacked while Lockdown Mode was enabled. The push notification also opens advice on who to reach out to for help.

Scott-Railton told TechCrunch that the new push notifications are a "big improvement" in urging people to seek help since Apple debuted its spyware alerts in 2021. He said notifications create a critical signal that a community is being targeted, often kicking off investigations that reveal many more cases. He cited the ongoing scandal in Poland over the former government's use of spyware against its rivals, saying that without Apple's notifications, "that entire massive scandal about spyware abuse in the Polish election wouldn't have been uncovered."

If you receive such a notification, it may not mean you have been successfully hacked, but you should still take immediate steps to protect your device and data.