Photo: John G. Mabanglo / EFE
By: EFE
Saturday, November 2
Apple releases emergency update against spying on multiple devices
Apple issued an emergency update to its software on Monday to combat a bug detected in iPhones, Macs and Apple Watches that allows the installation of spyware.
“This update provides important security improvements and is recommended to all users
The Cupertino, California company responded like this to the report published by the laboratory of the University of Toronto (Canada) Citizen Lab, according to which the Israeli software company NSO Group has been since February infecting phones iPhone and other Apple devices taking advantage of this security flaw.
Spyware is installed through the instant messaging program iMessage and affects both iOS (system to mobile operating) as well as to MacOS (computers) and WatchOS (watches).
Exploiting the system vulnerability, this “spyware” is installed without the need for the user to perform any operation , and affects all versions of operating systems except those issued this Monday.
To update the operating system on an iPhone, the user must go to Configuration / General / Software Update and there download the iOS version 14. 8.
In For Macs and Apple Watch the process is similar .
Citizen Lab discovered the vulnerability of the system and its exploitation by the NSO Group when it found that an iPhone of a Saudi activist had been infected with spyware dubbed “Pegasus” .
“Pegasus” allows the perpetrator access to the activities of the infected device, as well as to the camera, microphone, photos, location, text messages, e-mails and calls without the victim being even aware of it .
The Israeli company NSO Group is allegedly dedicated to cybersecurity, but its software is used by governments around the world to gain illicit access to telephones and others on many occasions devices of journalists, activists and political enemies .
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