Apple clarifies on alert; denies threat notification links with 'specific state-sponsored attacker'

Apple threat notification: Tech giant Apple has said that its threat notifications are not attributed to "any specific state-sponsored attacker." The statement comes after several opposition leaders in India received threat notification from Apple saying “state-sponsored attackers maybe targeting your iPhone.” 

"State-sponsored attackers are very well-funded and sophisticated, and their attacks evolve over time. Detecting such attacks relies on threat intelligence signals that are often imperfect and incomplete. It’s possible that some Apple threat notifications may be false alarms, or that some attacks are not detected. We are unable to provide information about what causes us to issue threat notifications, as that may help state-sponsored attackers adapt their behavior to evade detection in the future,” said Apple in a statement.

Apple has sent threat notifications to individuals whose accounts are in nearly 150 countries.

Further, Apple has detailed the purpose of its threat notifications and how it protects against state-sponsored attacks. It says Apple threat notifications are designed to inform and assist users who may have been targeted by state-sponsored attackers.

“Unlike traditional cybercriminals, state-sponsored attackers apply exceptional resources to target a very small number of specific individuals and their devices, which makes these attacks much harder to detect and prevent. State-sponsored attacks are highly complex, cost millions of dollars to develop, and often have a short shelf life. The vast majority of users will never be targeted by such attacks."

Apple advises its users to follow these practices for security: 

• Update devices to the latest software, as that includes the latest security fixes
• Protect devices with a passcode
• Use two-factor authentication and a strong password for Apple ID
• Install apps from the App Store
• Use strong and unique passwords online
• Don’t click on links or attachments from unknown senders