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Centre seeks answers from Apple after new wave of spyware alerts hits Indian users
The escalation marks the second time in two years that the government has formally raised concerns with Apple over its high-risk threat alerts.
As MeitY engages Apple for further details, the episode underscores the rising stakes of digital security and the growing urgency for coordinated responses between governments and technology platforms.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has reportedly sent a notice to Apple after the company issued a fresh round of “mercenary spyware” threat notifications to users in India, according to a Moneycontrol report.
The escalation marks the second time in two years that the government has formally raised concerns with Apple over its high-risk threat alerts.
India’s cyber response agency CERT-In has simultaneously issued a public advisory urging users to update their devices and asking anyone who received Apple’s warning to contact the agency for technical assistance.
“Any user who has received such notification and wish to get their Apple devices examined/ benefit from the technical assistance are requested to kindly reach out to CERT-In via email: submitmobile@cert-in.org.in ,” the advisory said.
Between December 2 and 3, Google and Apple pushed out threat notifications to users worldwide who may have been targeted by state-backed spyware operators. Apple’s alerts typically indicate that an individual’s device may be at risk of remote compromise by sophisticated, government-linked attackers.
The latest notifications have triggered concerns across India’s cybersecurity ecosystem, prompting officials to seek deeper clarity from the company. The government wants to understand the basis of the alerts, the extent of targeting, and the implications for national security, sources told Moneycontrol.
Cybersecurity researchers say the increasing frequency of such notifications is symptomatic of a larger global problem.
This episode mirrors a similar flashpoint from October 2023, when multiple opposition leaders, journalists and activists reported receiving Apple threat notifications. Following public outcry, MeitY sought a clarification from Apple, which later met officials from the ministry and CERT-In. At the time, the company emphasised that its alerts were triggered by internal threat assessments, not by attribution to any specific government.
In its December 5 advisory, CERT-In warned that Apple had alerted Indian users of attempts to remotely compromise devices connected to their Apple IDs.
The agency has urged users to take immediate precautions, including:
- Installing the latest iOS update (26.1)
- Updating cloud and messaging applications
- Enabling Lockdown Mode
- Staying alert to suspicious prompts
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