Apple has issued a new round of warnings to customers it believes may have been targeted by mercenary spyware, urging them to act quickly to protect their devices and data. The alerts matter because such spyware is often used by governments against critics and civil-society figures, and notifications can prompt wider investigations into abuse.

The company said Thursday’s alerts reached users in 110 countries, while customers in more than 150 countries have received such warnings to date. Apple now displays a lock-screen push notification alongside email and account-login alerts, and advises recipients to seek support and enable Lockdown Mode; it says it has not seen a device compromised while that feature was active. Researchers welcomed the clearer alerts, noting that previous Apple notifications helped expose alleged spyware misuse in Poland.