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3w ago

France Confirms Apple Spyware Alerts Sent Sept. 3, Fourth Wave This Year

Recipients are instructed to keep the original alert to preserve evidence, then contact investigators for assistance.

In this photo taken on November 17, 2017 France's President Emmanuel Macron holds his mobile phones while talking with Slovakia's Prime minister during the European Social Summit in Gothenburg, Sweden. - French President Emmanuel Macron called an urgent national security meeting on July 22, 2021 to discuss the Israeli-made Pegasus spyware after reports about its use in France emerged this week, a government spokesman said. A consortium of media companies, including the Washington Post, the Guardian and France's Le Monde, reported on Tuesday that one of Macron's phone numbers and those of many cabinet ministers were on a leaked list of potential Pegasus targets. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP) (Photo by LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP via Getty Images)
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Apple Spyware attacks

Overview

  • CERT-FR said Apple issued the latest threat notifications on September 3, marking the fourth campaign in 2025 after March 5, April 29, and June 25.
  • A notification signals that at least one iCloud‑linked device was targeted and may be compromised, with alerts delivered via iMessage, official Apple emails, and banners on account.apple.com.
  • The agency describes highly selective attacks using zero‑day and often zero‑click techniques against high‑risk individuals such as journalists, lawyers, activists, politicians, and senior officials.
  • Recipients in France are urged to keep the original Apple message, avoid resetting or updating devices to preserve evidence, contact CERT‑FR for support, enable Lockdown Mode, and consult Access Now’s Digital Security Helpline.
  • No public attribution has been made; Apple recently shipped emergency fixes for CVE‑2025‑43300 chained with WhatsApp CVE‑2025‑55177, and new iPhones add Memory Integrity Enforcement to harden against exploit chains.