Apple filed a lawsuit against the NSO Group, the firm that created the Pegasus spyware that has been used in a number of countries. The NSO Group wants to take advantage of the vulnerabilities in the platforms to get into the devices of targeted users such as journalists, activists, dissidents, academics, and government officials.
As part of its announcement, Apple revealed that it is notifying a small number of users who have been targeted by the ForceDENTRY exploit for a now-patched vulnerability that allowed Pegasus to be installed on their devices. Apple said that it will continue to notify users when it believes they have been targeted by state-sponsored attacks, and that it has shared a new support document detailing how it will do that.
The notifications will give additional steps users can take to protect their devices, and will be delivered via email and iMessage, with the addresses and phone numbers associated with the users' Apple IDs. The Apple ID web portal will display a "Threat Notification" banner at the top of the page when affected users log in.
Users will never be asked to click links or install apps via the email and iMessage notifications, so they should always log into their Apple ID accounts on the web to verify that threat notifications have been issued for their accounts and to learn what to do next.
Apple acknowledges that there may be false alarms with its notifications and that some attacks may go undetected, as it is facing constantly evolving tactics from state-sponsored attackers. Apple will not be sharing information on its threat detection methods because they will evolve.
Regardless of whether or not you receive a threat notification from Apple, the company advises all users to take the following steps to secure their devices.
Updating devices to the latest software will include the latest security fixes.
Protect devices with a password.
Two-factor and strong password are required for Apple ID.
You can install apps from the App Store.
Passwords that are strong and unique can be used online.
Don't click on links from unknown senders.
Apple has a list of emergency resources on the Consumer Reports Security Planner website for users who may have been targeted by state-sponsored attackers, even if they have not received an Apple threat notification.
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