If you recently received a Threat Notification on your iPhone, Mac or iPad from Apple, it’s legitimate. The company occasionally sends these notifications to devices that it detects have been targeted by “mercenary spyware,” and it appears another round of notifications went out this week.
Apple says it sent notifications to users who were targeted in 110 countries on Thursday and has notified users in more than 150 countries to date. It added that Apple Threat Notifications have been updated with a new user experience that makes it easier for recipients to find important information and next steps to protect their accounts and devices.
If you’re unfamiliar with the term “mercenary spyware,” it typically describes spyware that is used by governments to specifically target individuals who work with sensitive information, such as government officials and journalists. “Mercenary spyware attacks cost millions of dollars and often have a short shelf life, making them much harder to detect and prevent,” Apple says in a new support page related to the alerts.
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While Apple says it’s unlikely that the vast majority of people will ever be targeted by one of these attacks, it only sends the alerts when it has high confidence that they have. “Although our investigations can never achieve absolute certainty, Apple threat notifications are high-confidence alerts that a user has been individually targeted by a mercenary spyware attack, and should be taken very seriously.”
How to tell if an Apple Threat Notification is real
If you have been targeted, Apple alerts you in several ways. You should receive a notification on your iPhone’s lock screen and in its settings. You’ll also receive an email at the address associated with your Apple account from threat-notifications@email.apple.com. To be absolutely sure, sign in to your Apple account in a web browser and look for an alert at the top of your account page.
Notably, Apple says it will never ask you to “click any links, open files, install apps or profiles, or provide an Apple Account password or verification code by email or on the phone.” If you receive any message that asks you to do any of those things, don’t do them.
Because mercenary spyware attacks are much more sophisticated than everyday malware, you should treat the threat seriously. If you have been targeted, Apple recommends enabling Lockdown Mode on your device and seeking expert help. “We strongly suggest notified users enlist expert help, such as the rapid-response emergency security assistance provided by the Digital Security Helpline at the nonprofit Access Now.”
