Apple has issued a new round of security alerts to users it believes may have been targeted by sophisticated spyware, urging recipients to take immediate steps to protect their devices and personal information.

The latest notifications were sent on Thursday, August 13, to users across 110 countries, according to Apple.

The company says it has now alerted customers in more than 150 countries since it began issuing notifications about suspected mercenary spyware attacks.

The alerts are aimed at users whose iPhones, iPads or Macs may have been targeted by highly sophisticated surveillance tools, which are often associated with government-linked operators.

Apple has updated the way affected users receive and access the warnings. A threat notification can now appear directly on an iPhone’s lock screen, providing instructions on what users should do next.

The warning tells recipients that Apple has detected a spyware attack targeting their device and directs them to information designed to help secure their data.

Affected users may also receive the alert through email or when they sign into their Apple account.

Apple urges immediate action

Apple’s warning does not necessarily mean that a device has been successfully compromised.

However, security researchers say users should treat the notification seriously and take precautionary measures immediately.

One of the key steps Apple recommends is activating Lockdown Mode, a security feature designed to significantly restrict certain device functions and make sophisticated spyware attacks more difficult.

Apple says it has not identified a case in which a device was successfully compromised while Lockdown Mode was enabled.

The company also provides affected users with information on where to seek additional assistance after receiving an alert.

Spyware remains a global concern

Although highly sophisticated spyware attacks are relatively uncommon, researchers have raised concerns about the growing availability and use of surveillance technology.

Such tools have been linked to attempts to monitor journalists, activists, political opponents and other members of civil society.

John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab, described Apple’s latest notifications as a significant improvement in helping targeted individuals respond to potential attacks.

He said the alerts can also help researchers uncover wider surveillance campaigns because individuals who receive warnings may seek assistance, potentially revealing additional victims.

“Notifications create a critical signal that a community is being targeted,” Scott-Railton said.

He pointed to spyware-related investigations in Poland as an example of how individual alerts can contribute to uncovering broader surveillance operations.

According to Scott-Railton, Apple’s warnings can therefore serve a purpose beyond protecting individual devices by helping researchers identify patterns of spyware abuse and investigate wider campaigns.

Apple has been issuing threat notifications since 2021 as part of its efforts to warn users it believes may have been targeted by sophisticated mercenary spyware.

The company continues to advise users who receive such warnings to take them seriously and follow its recommended security measures.