Recently, there was a case when a prominent Egyptian politician who announced his intention to participate in the presidential elections became the victim of an attack by cybercriminals. His iPhone was infected with spyware due to vulnerabilities in an older version of iOS. Apple has been quick to fix these vulnerabilities, but all users are advised to install the latest software version on their device as soon as possible.
Targeting iPhone users
All iPhone users of Apple smartphones are advised to update their iOS software immediately. Hackers have found vulnerabilities in older versions of iOS that have made it possible to hack into iPhone users' phones. According to the expert, a possible consequence of such attacks is the leakage of private correspondence or even stolen bank login data.
"In the past, malicious spyware entered iPhones when a user accidentally clicked on a link. Hackers are now exploiting software vulnerabilities to launch attacks that require no user interaction. Spyware gets into iPhones through iMessages with a malicious image or through a WhatsApp call that doesn't even need to be answered for the hackers to get into the phone," Mantas says. Uzhupis, "Tele2" IT security expert.
According to him, iPhone users currently running iOS 16.6.1 or iOS 17.0.1 will need a software update. It is in the latter that three loopholes related to resistance to hacking have been recorded. Users are advised to make sure their software is secure and update to iOS 16.7 or iOS 17.0.2.
What is Spyware?
Spyware is malicious software that allows intruders to see everything you do on your phone. If you've had such software installed on your iPhone, attackers can read all your messages, including those in encrypted apps like WhatsApp, and steal passwords and banking details.
“Once your device is hacked, cybercriminals can see everything on your screen. Spyware also gives them access to your microphone, so attackers can listen to all your phone calls and gain access to your location data. The spying program "Reign" can generate two-step authentication codes and thus take over iCloud accounts and spy on available data," warns M. Užupis.
