Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Spyware infects iPhones, says report – How to keep it off

Spyware infects iPhones, says report – How to keep it off

Amnesty International links sophisticated iPhone spyware to Israeli surveillance firm NSO Group

Sophisticated spyware has landed on iPhones.

The phones were hacked using a so-called "zero-click" iMessage exploit, where hackers can gain control over a device without human interaction, according to an investigation by Amnesty International, which said the spyware was developed by Israeli surveillance firm NSO Group.

The investigation was done in coordination with Forbidden Stories, a Paris-based media non-profit.

Sophisticated spyware has landed on iPhones, according according to an investigation by Amnesty International.


"Apple prides itself on its security and privacy features, but NSO Group has ripped these apart," Amnesty International said in a statement. "NSO Group can no longer hide behind the claim that its spyware is only used to fight crime."

The attacks exposed journalists and politicians who risk having their location and their personal information monitored and possibly used against them, the human rights group said.


A successful zero-click attack was observed on a fully patched iPhone 12 running iOS 14.6 in July 2021, according to the report.

"Apple unequivocally condemns cyberattacks against journalists, human rights activists, and others seeking to make the world a better place," Ivan Krstić, head of Apple security engineering and architecture, told FOX Business in a statement.

"Attacks like the ones described are highly sophisticated, cost millions of dollars to develop, often have a short shelf life, and are used to target specific individuals," Krstić said. "While that means they are not a threat to the overwhelming majority of our users, we continue to work tirelessly to defend all our customers, and we are constantly adding new protections for their devices and data."

The NSO Group did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

How to detect spyware


Spyware surreptitiously gathers information about you, such as internet usage data, and then sends it to another party. The most malicious spyware will install software that changes the settings on your phone and/or steals usernames and passwords.

It typically lands on your phone along with a program or app that you installed yourself. "Spyware often accompanies programs that are disguised as useful software, such as download managers, registry cleaners, and so on," Internet security company Kaspersky says.

In some cases, spyware is secretly installed by a parent but it may also be installed by a suspicious partner, according to a spyware primer from Avast, which offers internet security applications.

Some indicators of spyware can be an overheating phone, a battery that drains too fast, excessive data usage, and annoying messages that pop up when you’re browsing the internet, Avast says.

How to remove spyware


Think you have spyware? Spyware removal tools may help in detecting and removing it. Anti-virus companies such as McAfee offer spyware removal apps.

You can also manually remove suspicious apps that you don’t recognize. Just follow iOS or Android instructions for deleting apps on your phone.

In a worst-case scenario, you can do a factory reset of your phone. This will erase all data from your phone, including the spyware. But you need to make sure the backup you use for the reset is dated before you got the spyware, says Avast.

One of the best strategies is to make sure your phone’s operating system software is up to date.

"Some iPhone spy software is effective only because of an iOS security flaw. Hackers are always looking for software vulnerabilities to exploit, which Apple regularly fixes via Apple security updates," says Avast. So, the best way to stop the spyware is updating to the latest iOS release.

#NSO 
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
×