Apple has issued a fresh wave of warnings about mercenary spyware attacks, notifying users when its system detects that they have been targeted, as reported by John Scott‑Railton.

The alerts guide recipients to protect their data, and a new support page explains what mercenary spyware is—sophisticated surveillance tools sold to state actors and used against journalists, activists, politicians, and diplomats. These attacks can cost millions and are highly targeted, making them hard to detect.

Apple states the notifications are high‑confidence alerts,Bursting a detection environnement, but it does not disclose how it determines a target to avoid giving bad actors a roadmap. Receiving an alert does not necessarily mean data has already been compromised, only that the device shows activity consistent with spyware.

Apple recommends enabling Lockdown Mode for extreme protection, blocking most message attachments, FaceTime calls, Apple‑service invites, and shared photo albums, and advises seeking expert help through the Digital Security Helpline offered by Access Now.