## Apple's Latest Warning: A Global Spyware Scourge **Apple** has begun distributing a fresh round of threat notifications, informing users in 99 countries that they may have been targeted by mercenary spyware. These alerts underscore the escalating sophistication and widespread nature of state-backed digital surveillance operations. The notifications, verified by threat researcher **Costin Raiu** on **X**, indicate that while **Apple** doesn't attribute attacks to specific actors, the 'extreme cost, sophistication, and worldwide nature of mercenary spyware attacks' makes them 'some of the most advanced digital threats in existence today.' ## Journalists Under Fire Among the publicly identified recipients of these alerts are several journalists, a demographic frequently targeted by such advanced surveillance tools. **Ragıp Soylu**, the Turkey bureau chief for **Middle East Eye**, confirmed on **X** that he received his third **Apple Threat Notification** this year. He views these repeated attempts by 'likely state actors using mercenary spyware' as an 'endorsement for the reporting I do.' Another prominent figure, **Radwan Mortada**, a Lebanese documentary filmmaker and investigative journalist known for his coverage of Middle Eastern security issues, also received a similar notification. Mortada's phone was previously targeted by the powerful **Pegasus spyware** in 2017 and 2021. ### Timing Raises Questions Mortada noted the recent **Apple** alert coincided with the release of his investigative documentary on the September 2024 pager explosions in Lebanon. The film, available on **Al Jazeera 360**, examines attacks that **Israel** confirmed it carried out against members of **Hezbollah**. Following the documentary's release, Mortada reported that Israeli soldiers entered, looted, and destroyed his family home in southern Lebanon. While he acknowledges no concrete evidence linking the incidents, he stated, 'the sequence of events, and their timing in relation to my investigative work, raise serious questions that cannot simply be dismissed.' Mortada expressed deep concern not only for his personal safety and privacy but also for the confidentiality of his sources, emphasizing that 'surveillance of investigative journalists threatens the confidentiality of those who trust us with sensitive information.' ## The Role of Threat Notifications **John Scott-Railton**, a digital forensic researcher at **Citizen Lab**, highlighted the importance of **Apple Threat Notifications**, stating they 'make accountability happen.' He added that **Apple** refined its notification system in August to enhance visibility and prompt user action, a strategy that appears to be yielding results based on public disclosures from targets. These alerts serve as a critical tool for informing individuals at high risk and for raising broader awareness about the pervasive nature of sophisticated digital surveillance.