German lawmakers and government officials have received Apple warnings that their iPhones may have been targeted by sophisticated spyware. Germany’s cybersecurity agency has urged those affected to treat their devices as potentially compromised while authorities investigate.
Digital Affairs Minister Karsten Wildberger confirmed the reported cyberattack on Apple devices belonging to members of the Bundestag and the federal government. Apple’s threat notifications began reaching affected users on October 29, according to information reported by German public broadcaster ARD.
Officials have not identified the attackers or confirmed whether the operation successfully infected the devices.
Apple warnings trigger security response
Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) responded to the alerts by informing the people concerned and advising them to take precautions.
The warnings indicate that Apple detected signs of a targeted spyware attack. However, they do not establish whether the attackers gained access to a device. The BSI therefore advised recipients to assume that their phones may have been compromised.
Authorities have not disclosed how many people received the alerts or which lawmakers and officials were targeted. A government spokesperson said the authorities were taking the incident seriously and working to investigate it and support those affected.
Apple has not publicly identified a perpetrator or attributed the reported attacks to a particular country.
What mercenary spyware can do
The alerts reportedly concerned so-called mercenary spyware: advanced surveillance software developed commercially and often used in targeted operations against selected individuals.
If successfully installed, such tools can potentially access private messages, calls, contacts, calendars and location data. Depending on the software and the level of access it gains, attackers may also be able to activate a device’s microphone or camera.
Some spyware operations exploit vulnerabilities that allow attackers to compromise a device without the owner clicking a link or opening a file. However, officials have not publicly confirmed the specific method used in this case.
One widely known example of commercial spyware is Pegasus, developed by the NSO Group. Authorities have not named the software used in the reported operation.
What Apple recommends to targeted users
Apple says its threat notifications are high-confidence warnings that a person may have been individually targeted by mercenary spyware. The company advises recipients to take them seriously and seek expert assistance.
Users can check whether a notification is genuine by signing in to their Apple Account at account.apple.com. Apple says legitimate threat notifications appear there and never ask users to click a link, install an app or disclose a password or verification code.
The company also recommends keeping devices updated and offers Lockdown Mode for people who may face highly sophisticated digital threats. In Germany, the authorities have advised the recipients of the latest warnings to take precautions while the investigation continues.
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