Akshay DidwaniyaApple has alerted several German politicians that spyware may have targeted their mobile phones, German newspaper Bild reports, with Bundestag members reportedly among those affected.
Germany’s Digital Minister Confirms the Warning
Apple has warned a number of German politicians about a possible hacking attack on their mobile phones using spyware, German newspaper Bild reports.
“The hacking attack affected the highest political circles in Germany. The attackers apparently targeted the mobile phones of Bundestag members and members of the federal government,” the publication states.
Germany’s Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger confirmed this information. He said Apple had notified certain device owners that their phones may have been compromised using so called spyware. He did not share further details.
iPhone Users Received Threat Notifications
According to Bild, iPhone users started receiving threat notifications on October 29. Those affected are believed to include Bundestag members and officials from Germany’s federal government.
What Mercenary Spyware Can Actually Do
Bild notes the spyware involved is known as Mercenary Spyware, a type of surveillance tool built by specialised commercial firms. This spyware lets attackers read messages, view contacts, access calendars and track a user’s location. It can also secretly switch on a device’s microphone and camera.
Officials Urged to Assume Their Devices Were Compromised
Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security sent written notices to potentially affected individuals. It advised them to assume their devices could have been compromised.
So far, there is no confirmation that the attackers actually managed to access any of the targeted phones.
Mayur Mohta
Aditya Didwaniya
Pratik Agrawal
