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Security·1 min read

Apple spyware alerts: Thailand holds talks with Apple over iPhone warnings

Thai politicians got Apple's mercenary spyware warnings, and now the government has sat down with Apple to ask who might be behind the attempts.

An iPhone showing a security warning on a dark background, next to a government building in Bangkok.
Image: 9to5Mac
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Thai politicians opened their iPhones and found a warning that someone may have tried to hack them with mercenary spyware. Now the Thai government has sat down with Apple to ask who, and why.

According to Bloomberg's reporting, Thailand held meetings with Apple officials over the Apple spyware alerts. Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaichanok Chidchob spoke after meeting Apple representatives on Wednesday. He said getting an alert doesn't necessarily mean a device was actually compromised. He also said Thai authorities have no evidence so far that the latest attempts involved Pegasus, the spyware made by Israel's NSO Group.

Pegasus is not a random name to bring up. It was allegedly used against pro-democracy campaigners in Thailand in 2022.

What are Apple's threat notifications?

Apple sends them to people it believes may have been singled out by mercenary spyware, meaning expensive surveillance tools built by private companies and typically aimed at specific individuals. The latest wave went out on October 29 and reached potential targets in 99 countries. An earlier round in August covered 110 countries.

Reports last week said German lawmakers were among the recipients, as was Beirut-based filmmaker Radwan Mortada.

What should you do if you get one?

Apple won't say what triggers the alerts, because that would help attackers avoid detection. What it does recommend is turning on Lockdown Mode, an extreme protection setting on iPhones, and getting help from security experts.

The story isn't limited to Apple's phones. Bloomberg adds that Thai authorities are expected to meet other technology companies on Thursday to discuss countermeasures, including risks to Android devices.

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Tags:applespywarethailandpegasuslockdown modeiphone

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