Apple has begun sending high-priority spyware threat notifications directly to iPhone Lock Screens as part of an intensified effort to warn users targeted by sophisticated, state-linked "mercenary" spyware. The company confirmed to CyberGuy that a fresh wave of alerts went out on 13 August to users in 110 countries, and that it has now notified people in more than 150 countries in total. These are treated as high-confidence warnings, meaning Apple believes the recipient has been specifically and deliberately targeted rather than caught up in a broad, indiscriminate attack.

Unlike routine security notices, these alerts should not be dismissed or swiped away, as they indicate an unusually advanced and costly form of surveillance software typically associated with state-sponsored or commercial spyware operators rather than everyday cybercriminals. Apple has not disclosed who is behind the specific attacks referenced in this notification round, but the scale — spanning well over 100 countries — underscores how widespread targeted spyware campaigns against individuals, such as journalists, activists and officials, have become.