Last week, Apple issued security alerts to opposition party leaders via their iPhones, cautioning that “state-sponsored attackers may be targeting your iPhone.” Similar notifications have been sent to specific iPhone users in Armenia, indicating the likelihood of targeting by such entities.
Reported by Armenian outlet Media.am and observed by AppleInsider, these alerts were dispatched on the same day Apple notified select Indian politicians. The alerts, while acknowledging the possibility of a false alarm, advise that the iPhone could be a target.
The report from Media.am suggests that the targeted iPhones might have been compromised by Pegasus spyware, potentially installed by the Israeli company NSO Group, reportedly acting on behalf of the Azerbaijani government. Apple’s warnings, however, did not disclose these specific details about the hackers or their use of NSO Pegasus. They solely cautioned about state-sponsored hacking and provided recommended steps to the affected users.
It’s noted that these alerts weren’t received by all iPhone users in Armenia, and the use of Pegasus by the Azerbaijani authorities has reportedly affected numerous individuals in both Azerbaijan and Armenia. However, precise figures on the total number targeted remain challenging to determine.
In the notifications shared in the report, Apple reiterated previous alerts to the users, emphasizing that this is a new instance of hacking or attempted hacking. The NSO Pegasus tool has been previously used by Azerbaijan against Armenia during their conflict. Apple initiated its threat alert systems in 2021 in response to the widespread use of Pegasus by various governments.
