Apple, Google Sound Alarm on Expanding Spyware Campaign Across 80+ Countries

TLDRs;

• Apple and Google warn users in 80+ nations about advanced spyware threats.
• Alerts target journalists, diplomats, and high-risk individuals facing state-linked surveillance.
• Past notifications have led to major global investigations into spyware abuse.
• Apple urges targeted users to enable Lockdown Mode for maximum device protection.

Apple and Google have begun notifying users across more than 80 countries about a rapidly expanding spyware campaign, marking one of the widest coordinated cybersecurity alerts issued by the two companies to date.

While neither firm disclosed the exact number of individuals affected, both confirmed that the warnings were tied to highly advanced, state-backed hacking attempts aimed at compromising the devices of high-risk users.

Apple’s notification wave, issued on December 2, informed users in 84 countries that they may have been individually targeted using sophisticated surveillance tools. Google followed a day later, revealing that it had alerted all known victims of Intellexa spyware, a commercial surveillance product already linked to operations in countries spanning Pakistan, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Angola, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan.

Despite the global scale of the alerts, Apple and Google stressed that the attacks were highly selective rather than widespread. Those targeted typically occupy sensitive roles such as journalists, diplomats, political figures, human rights defenders, and individuals involved in geopolitically sensitive work.

Global Surveillance Risks Expand

Apple reiterated that it does not disclose specifics about the attackers, the techniques used, or the number of targeted individuals. The company said revealing those details would help hostile actors refine their methods and undermine ongoing investigations.

However, Apple confirmed a striking statistic: since launching its threat-notification system a few years ago, it has now issued alerts to users in over 150 countries, underscoring how far-reaching state-sponsored digital espionage has become.

These advanced attacks frequently rely on zero-click exploits, stealthy, high-value vulnerabilities that allow hackers to infiltrate a device without any user interaction. Such tools are typically expensive to create and are seldom deployed against general users, making the latest alerts especially significant.

Cybersecurity analysts note that these campaigns often represent the “tip of the spear” in broader geopolitical conflicts, where digital surveillance is used to monitor influential individuals or disrupt sensitive communications. With more governments acquiring commercial spyware, global watchdog groups say the threat landscape continues to accelerate.

Tech Giants Intensify Protective Measures

Both Apple and Google have taken increasingly proactive steps to warn victims directly when their threat intelligence teams detect targeting attempts. Digital rights organizations say these alerts are often the first public evidence that covert spyware operations are underway.

Historically, such warnings have triggered major investigations. Earlier waves of similar notifications led the European Union to launch inquiries after senior officials learned they had been targeted by advanced spyware tools. In some cases, alerts have prompted diplomatic disputes and calls for tighter regulations on commercial surveillance firms.

Google emphasized that its threat notifications were part of a broader effort to curb misuse of spyware sold by companies such as Intellexa, which has faced mounting scrutiny for enabling governments to monitor political opponents, activists, and investigative journalists.

The companies are urging anyone who receives a notification to immediately activate Lockdown Mode, an advanced security option designed to protect users who face extraordinary digital risks.

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