Apple meets Thai officials after spyware alerts sent to politicians
Bloomberg reports that Thai government representatives held talks with Apple after a wave of iPhone threat notifications warned users, including politicians, of possible mercenary spyware attacks.
Key takeaways
- Bloomberg reports that Thailand met Apple officials after iPhone spyware alerts reached politicians in the country.
- The 29 October alerts went to potential targets in 99 countries, following an earlier round in August covering 110 countries.
- Thai minister Chaichanok Chidchob said an alert does not prove a device was compromised, and there is no evidence yet of Pegasus involvement.
- Thai authorities are expected to meet other tech companies about countermeasures, including Android risks.
In this article
Talks between Apple and Thailand
Apple has met with Thai government officials following a recent round of iPhone notifications warning users about possible mercenary spyware attacks, according to Bloomberg. The alerts were sent on 29 October to potential targets in 99 countries, and some of the Thai recipients were politicians.
Chaichanok Chidchob, Thailand's Digital Economy and Society Minister, met Apple representatives on Wednesday. He told Krungthep Turakij and other media that receiving an alert does not mean a device was actually compromised.
Bloomberg reported that the warnings have raised questions in Thailand about who may have targeted the politicians and why.
What the alerts mean
Apple sends threat notifications when it believes a user's device may have been targeted by a mercenary spyware attack. The company does not explain what triggers the alerts, because revealing the details could help attackers avoid detection in future.
Apple advises recipients of these notifications to turn on Lockdown Mode, a protective setting that restricts certain iPhone features, and to seek expert security help. According to Bloomberg, the minister said Thai authorities have found no evidence so far that the latest attempts involved Pegasus, the spyware made by Israel's NSO Group.
Pegasus was allegedly used against pro-democracy campaigners in Thailand in 2022, Bloomberg notes.
A growing wave of warnings
The October notifications followed an earlier round in August, when Apple warned potential targets in 110 countries. The recent alert was reported by the Financial Times and TechCrunch, which highlighted recipients including German lawmakers and Radwan Mortada, a Beirut-based filmmaker.
Apple has not said which countries or individuals received the latest alerts, and it does not normally confirm the identity of any recipient.
What happens next
According to Bloomberg, Thai authorities plan to meet other technology companies on Thursday to discuss possible countermeasures. These talks are expected to cover risks to Android devices as well as iPhones.
For anyone who receives such an alert, Apple's guidance remains to enable Lockdown Mode and get professional advice rather than assume the device has been breached. An alert signals a possible targeting attempt, not a confirmed compromise.
Sources
Spotted a mistake? See our corrections policy. Read how News by OnDevice works in our editorial policy.
Related news
More Apple news
Apple joins inquiry after three workers die at Tata iPhone parts plant in India
Three contract workers died from gas inhalation during maintenance work at a Tata Electronics factory in Hosur that makes iPhone components. Apple, Tata and local authorities are all investigating, according to Reuters.
Apple supplier TCB Devices confirms work on AI glasses and camera AirPods
A Chinese supplier's quarterly filing says it is working on Apple's unannounced AI glasses and new smart earphone projects, offering rare public confirmation of both rumoured products.
Apple to shut Support Community forums on 20 November after 28 years
Apple is closing its official support forums permanently on 20 November 2026. Posting is already disabled and the boards are read-only, ending nearly three decades of user-to-user help.
Apple smart glasses surface in supplier's earnings briefing
A Chinese equipment maker says it is working on Apple's rumoured AI glasses and new earphones, while reports point to a late 2027 launch for the glasses.