Apple, Google warn users in over 150 countries of targeted cyber attacks: All you need to know

Key Highlights

• Apple said only that it has now sent notifications to users in more than 150 countries since it began the programme.
• The company typically sends these warnings when it finds evidence suggesting a user has been singled out in sophisticated hacking attempts believed to be linked to state agencies or government contractors.
• Google announced on 3 December that it had notified all users it knows were targeted via Intellexa spyware tools.
• The effort, according to the company, involved “several hundred accounts” across a broad set of regions, including Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Angola, Egypt, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, and Tajikistan.
• Intellexa, a surveillance-technology vendor sanctioned by the United States, was accused by Google of continuing to operate and adapt despite restrictions.