Install iOS 15.7.9 on your older iPhone to protect it from the Pegasus spyware. Photo: Андрей Сидоренко/Pixabay/Cult of Mac
The newly-released iOS 15.7.9, macOS Monterey 12.6.9 and iPadOS 15.7.9 are intended to protect older computers from hackers, including those using the Pegasus spyware.
Apple recently introduced security patches for newer versions of these operating systems to close the same security vulnerability.
Mac Studio, check. Dual Studio Displays, check. Crippled bank account, check. Photo: the_hell_indeed@Reddit.com
The term “money pit” usually refers to an old house that needs a lot of expensive work that never seems to end. But it could actually refer to a computer setup, too. After all, it’s never really finished and the next round of irresistible gear is always about to come out.
Today’s featured Mac Studio setup is a good example. After years of saving and planning, a setup centered on a struggling 2015 iMac metastasized, at great cost, into a Mac Studio powerhouse with dual Studio Displays.
You'll see the alert by text message, email, and on the Apple ID website. Image: Apple
Apple says it will send threat alerts to customers who potentially targeted by the NSO Group’s controversial Pegasus spyware.
Cupertino on Tuesday announced that it is suing NSO Group over the tools the Israeli company develops and sells to governments to spy on iPhone owners. Apple’s alerts to affected iPhone users are another effort to prevent software like Pegasus from going unnoticed.
Apple is going to court to block further development of NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware. Photo: NSO Group/Cult of Mac
Apple filed a lawsuit Tuesday against NSO Group, the company that makes Pegasus spyware used by some countries to hack into iPhones. Apple says the goal is to hold NSO Group “accountable for the surveillance and targeting of Apple users.”
NSO Group claims Pegasus is only used by governments to fight crime, but there are accusations that it’s being used it to hack the smartphones of activists, politicians, journalists and other individuals.
Install iOS 12.5.5 on your older iPhone to protect it from the Pegasus spyware. Photo: Андрей Сидоренко/Pixabay/Cult of Mac
iPhone models that can’t install iOS 14 or iOS 15 can still get protection from the infamous Pegasus spyware thanks to iOS 12.5.5. Apple released this update Thursday for devices as old as the iPhone 5s to close a security hole in active use by hackers.
The same update can also be installed on older iPad and iPod touch models.
A Pegasus text message sent to one Bahraini activist. Screenshot: Citizen Lab
The Pegasus spyware, developed by Israeli firm NSO Group, has successfully been avoiding security new measures built into iPhone to block such attacks.
One version of the “zero-click” exploit was installed on an iPhone 12 Pro belonging to a Bahraini human rights activist, despite the fact that the device was running recent versions of iOS 14 with Apple’s “BlastDoor” protection.
Get your hands on the Pegasus detector today. Photo: iMazing
Worried your iPhone may have been infected with Pegasus spyware that’s being used by governments to spy on people? You can now use the free Pegasus detector built into iMazing to find out if your handset is safe.
And how to tell if your iPhone is infected. Photo: NSO Group/Cult of Mac
NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware is making headlines again after it was reported that a number of governments around the world have been using it to hack the smartphones of activists, politicians, journalists and other individuals.
A list of potential surveillance targets, which includes more than 50,000 phone numbers, was leaked and obtained by a number of news outlets over the weekend, reigniting concerns over government surveillance.
So, what exactly is Pegasus? And who might be a potential target of an attack? How can you tell if your iPhone already fell victim to the spyware? We rounded up everything you need to know about Pegasus.
Those misusing the Pegasus iPhone hacking tool allegedly work for governments around the world. Photo: Donald Tong/Pexels CC
Amnesty International accuses governments around the world of using NSO Group’s Pegasus iPhone hacking tool to illegally spy on journalists and human rights defenders. Apple’s head of Security Engineering and Architecture condemns this type of hacking, but also says that such attacks “are not a threat to the overwhelming majority of our users.”
Facebook’s Onavo Protect did the opposite of protecting users. And it could have been more effective with Pegasus spyware. Photo: Facebook
NSO Group accuses Facebook of trying to buy access to its Pegasus surveillance software so it could better track the activities of iPhone users.
The spyware supposedly would have gone into Onavo Protect, a VPN app Facebook pulled off the App Store back in 2018 for violating Apple’s data-collection policies.