Apple has the term “state-funded” from threat notifications sent to users, first reported by Reuters Thursday. Instead, Apple on Wednesday warned iPhone users in India and 91 countries that they were potential victims of a “mercenary spyware attack,” a term that less directly blames governments for the attacks.
“Mercenary Spyware Attack” is Apple’s new, ambiguous way of telling you that a foreign government is behind a cyberattack. As recently as January 15, an Apple support page described these threats as “state-sponsored attacks.” Internet Archive. On this Apple page you will now learn that these attacks are “historically linked to state actorsincluding private companies developing mercenary spyware on their behalf.”
Reuters reports that Apple has been pressured by the Indian government to link violations to state actors. Senior politicians in India accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi trying to hack their phones in October 2023, right after Apple told them they were “targeted by state-sponsored attackers.” India is now producing twice as many iPhones as last yearis becoming an increasingly important ally for Apple.
Another country often behind “state-sponsored attacks” is China, which Apple has also been trying to please recently. China has the largest smartphone consumer base in the world, but Apple’s iPhone sales in China are down about 33% compared to last year Bloomberg. The Chinese Communist Party also recently Government officials banned by using iPhones at work. Apple boss Tim Cook is often in China to smooth over the critical relationship.
Apple sends these threat notifications a few times a year, and the company points out on its support page that they are much more complicated and cost millions of dollars. Apple initially began offering “government-sponsored” Threat notifications in 2021 thereafter Controversies arose surrounding the NSO Group, the Israeli spyware maker behind Pegasus. Apple says most users will never be the target of such attacks, but they are often used against journalists, activists, politicians and diplomats.
Apple did not immediately respond to Gizmodo’s request for comment.
In war, a mercenary is defined as someone “hired to serve in the army of a foreign country,” but can also mean “serve only for pay.” Webster’s Dictionary. It’s unclear which term Apple means, but both suggest an additional layer of distance between hackers and governments.
The switch from “state-sponsored” to “mercenary” appears to be more palatable to the governments behind it. However, the “mercenary spyware attack” is also less direct. I’d like to think Apple is changing their language for accuracy, but it looks more like they’re bowing to pressure from foreign governments they so desperately need to work with.