“It’s a horrible feeling. I went home and put my phone in the microwave oven”

A warning not to be taken lightly, which concerns Apple customers in more than 100 countries where the Cupertino firm is active.

“Mercenaries” software attacks

According to our colleagues from the magazine Forbesone of the users notably targeted by this message is the Italian journalist Ciro Pellegrino, who described his experience in an article. “”I have been a professional journalist for twenty years. This is the first time that something like it happens to me. It’s a horrible feeling “, He says, believing that the reason for this targeted attack is his profession.

The journalist notably recalls that its editor -in -chief, Francesco Cancellato, had been alerted to such an attack last January. “”He had learned from Meta, via the support of Whastapp, which he was one of the journalists and activists targeted by the Spyware of the Israeli Society Paragon Solutions “.

“We heard couples regularly making love”: Apple accused of spying on the private conversations of its customers

Currently, Apple confirms that it has launched these alerts. “”Since 2021, we have sent threat notifications to users several times a year when we detect these attacks and, to date, we have notified users in more than 150 countries in total “, says the company. Adding that targeted spy software is so -called software “Mercenaries” Like Pegasus, developed by the Israeli group NSO.

These software, “of exceptional complexity “, are “often associated with state actors “. They are indeed generally used by governments or the police in order to catch criminals, but can be used badly against targeted people.

“These attacks are much more complex than ordinary cybercriminal activities and general public malware, because mercenary computer hackers use exceptional resources to target a very small number of specific people and their aircraft. Spy software attacks by mercenaries cost millions of dollars and often have a short lifespan, which makes them much more difficult to detect and prevent.” Complete Apple.

In the specific case of journalist Ciro Pellegrino, no clear information on the origin or the reasons for the attack was revealed. “Investigations are in progress which, hopefully, will say more”, says the Italian. Fearing that his device can allow hackers to see and hear everything he does, “Even read encrypted applications such as WhatsApp and Signal”. So he remains cautious: “Last night, I went home, I opened the door and asked my wife to remain silent. Until I put my phone in the microwave oven “.