Apple and Google issue new wave of cyber-threat alerts worldwide

Apple and Google have issued a new round of cyber-threat notifications to users across multiple countries, marking their latest push to protect customers from advanced surveillance attempts. 

Both tech giants routinely alert users when evidence suggests they may have been targeted by state-sponsored hackers.

Apple confirmed that its latest warnings were sent on December 2, though it offered no specifics about the scale of the attempted hacking or the identities of the groups behind it. 

The Cupertino-based tech giant noted that it has now notified users in more than 150 countries, underscoring the global reach of these threats.

The update came just a day after Google revealed it had alerted all known victims targeted through Intellexa spyware. 

According to Google, the attacks involved several hundred accounts spread across countries including Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Angola, Egypt, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, and Tajikistan. 

The company reiterated that Intellexa, already sanctioned by the US government, continues to “evade restrictions and thrive,” raising fresh concerns about commercial spyware networks.

Past notification waves from Apple and Google have sparked government-level inquiries, including from the European Union (EU), where senior officials were previously targeted. 

According to Citizen Lab researcher John Scott-Railton, these warnings often act as a critical early signal, triggering investigations that can eventually lead to accountability for those involved in spyware abuse.