Apple just sent out a fresh wave of spyware threat notifications to French users on September 3, marking the latest chapter in an ongoing campaign of state-sponsored cyber attacks targeting iPhones worldwide. France's cybersecurity unit confirmed the notifications, raising new questions about who's behind these sophisticated intrusions and how many victims received the warnings.
Apple is once again sounding the alarm about state-sponsored spyware attacks, this time alerting French iPhone users that their devices may have been compromised. France's national cybersecurity response unit confirmed Thursday that Apple sent threat notifications to affected customers on September 3, warning them their devices were targeted in what appears to be a coordinated spyware campaign.
The French cybersecurity agency explained that receiving one of these notifications means "at least one of the devices linked to a customer's iCloud account has been targeted and would be potentially compromised." It's a chilling message that's become increasingly familiar to iPhone users in sensitive positions around the world.
What remains murky is the scope of this latest attack. French authorities haven't disclosed how many people received the September 3 alerts, which spyware was deployed, or when these intrusions actually began. Apple hasn't responded to requests for comment, maintaining its typical silence around these sensitive security incidents.
This latest notification wave fits a troubling pattern that's been escalating throughout 2025. Apple has been regularly alerting victims of mercenary spyware attacks across multiple continents. Just this summer, the company notified victims in Iran and across Europe, part of what security researchers describe as an unprecedented surge in state-sponsored mobile surveillance.
The timing of these French notifications is particularly significant given the country's high-profile history with spyware attacks. President Emmanuel Macron reportedly switched phones in 2021 after intelligence revealed his device was targeted by NSO Group's notorious Pegasus spyware. That incident sparked a diplomatic crisis and helped fuel global efforts to crack down on the mercenary surveillance industry.
