Apple has sent threat notifications to iPhone users in 110 countries warning them of an ongoing spyware attack, according to a report from Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. The alerts, which began circulating over the weekend, inform recipients that their devices may have been targeted by spyware.
The notifications are part of Apple's standard practice of alerting users when it detects state-sponsored or mercenary spyware activity against their accounts or devices. Corriere della Sera reports that the warnings were distributed broadly across the 110 countries, though the outlet did not specify which nations were included or how many users received the alerts.
The Italian news agency ANSA also covered the development, noting that Apple sent the advisories to iPhone users who may be potential victims of cyberattacks. Other Italian outlets, including il Giornale and today.it, confirmed the notifications were genuine and not a phishing scam, urging recipients not to ignore them.
Apple has a history of issuing such warnings when it identifies sophisticated spyware campaigns, often targeting journalists, activists, diplomats, or political figures. The company typically advises affected users to take immediate steps, such as updating to the latest iOS version and enabling Lockdown Mode, though the specific guidance in this round of alerts was not detailed in the available reporting.
The scope of the current campaign—spanning more than half the world's countries—suggests a broad and coordinated threat. Users who receive an Apple threat notification should treat it as legitimate and act on it promptly, rather than dismissing it as a scam.
What to watch next: Whether Apple or security researchers identify the specific spyware tool and its operators, which could clarify the motive behind the widespread targeting.
