APPLE WARNS IPHONE OWNERS OF SPYWARE ATTACKS

SAN FRANCISCO, July 12 (Bernama-dpa) -- Owners of iPhones in dozens of countries have been warned by Apple Inc about mercenary spyware attacks, the German news agency (dpa) reported.

Apple recently issued a global warning to iPhone users in 98 countries about potential spyware threats. This is the second time this year the company has sent out such alerts, with the previous one being in April to users in 92 nations.

The warning, aimed at those believed to be targeted, states that "Apple detected that you are being targeted by a mercenary spyware attack that is trying to remotely compromise the iPhone associated with your Apple ID -xxx-." 

Apple emphasised the seriousness of the situation and urged affected users to take the warning seriously.

The company refrained from disclosing detailed information about the recent wave of spyware attacks, leaving the affected countries unknown. However, users in India have reported receiving the alert.

Apple stressed the sensitive nature of its threat identification methods and cautioned affected users against revealing further details, as this could potentially aid attackers in avoiding detection, according to TechCrunch. 

Spyware is increasingly targeting iPhones, with the NSO Group's Pegasus being a prominent example. 

Apple asserts that its Lockdown Mode can effectively thwart spyware but may impact the iPhone's regular functionality. 

Users are advised to be vigilant for signs of spyware, such as performance slowdowns or unrecognised apps on their devices. 

To mitigate the immediate impact, rebooting the device may temporarily disrupt spyware. 

Additionally, users are advised to ensure their iPhone is running the latest iOS software by navigating to Settings > General > Software Update, and manually downloading and installing the updates. 

-- BERNAMA-dpa