Major technology companies Apple and Google have sent a new wave of cyber threat warnings to users across the globe, alerting them to possible attempts at covert digital surveillance linked to state-backed hacking operations.
Apple expands global cyber threat warnings
Apple confirmed that the latest security alerts were issued on December 2, notifying users in more than 150 countries. The company did not disclose how many individuals were affected or identify the suspected source behind the surveillance attempts. Officials said the notifications are part of Apple’s long-running efforts to protect customers from highly sophisticated cyber attacks typically associated with government-linked actors.
Google links attacks to Intellexa spyware
A day after Apple’s disclosure, Google announced that it had warned several hundred affected accounts targeted through spyware connected to Intellexa, a cyber intelligence firm sanctioned by the United States. According to Google, the suspected cyber threat activity spanned multiple regions, affecting users in countries including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and several Central Asian states. Google stated that the spyware operator was continuing to bypass international restrictions.
Executives associated with Intellexa did not respond to requests for comment.
Surveillance alerts trigger investigations
Previous rounds of similar warnings from major tech firms have often led to government-level probes, including inquiries within the European Union after senior officials were reportedly targeted through spyware campaigns.
According to John Scott-Railton of the digital rights research group Citizen Lab, such cyber threat notifications serve as a powerful deterrent. He noted that alerting victims not only disrupts surveillance operations but frequently initiates broader investigations that may lead to accountability for misuse of spyware technologies.
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Input from Reuters
