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Phone hacked? Apple says it will alert you if your iPhone is infected with spyware
Cybercriminals have countless tools to target victims. They develop these methods themselves or, unsurprisingly, lift them from others.
Recently, authorities discovered cybercriminals were using military-grade hacking software designed by Israeli tech firm NSO Group. Research group Citizen Lab then revealed that NSO’s clients were using the software to spy on journalists. Tap or click here for our report with tips on protecting yourself from this dangerous vulnerability.
Apple rolled out security patches to prevent this type of government-sponsored spyware, and now it’s going one step further: Apple says it will notify owners if their iPhones and other devices have been compromised.
Here’s the backstory
The NSO’s homepage says the firm creates technology that helps government agencies “prevent and investigate terrorism and crime to save thousands of lives around the globe.” Well, that sounds noble. There’s more to it.
Apple announced that it’s suing NSO Group and its parent company for spying on Apple users. The complaint says NSO Group infected people’s devices using the firm’s Pegasus spyware.
Apple is seeking an injunction banning NSO Group from using its software, services or devices. The tech giant says there is documented history of such software being used to target journalists, activists, dissidents, academics, and government officials.
Apple also revealed information on NSO Group’s FORCEDENTRY, an exploit used to break into a victim’s Apple device to install the Pegasus program. The exploit was discovered by the research group Citizen Lab. Apple has since released a patch to fix the vulnerability.
Related: GoDaddy data breach: 1.2M user profiles, including passwords, exposed
Apple’s new alerts
Given the level of seriousness of these types of hacks, Apple says it will notify users when their Apple devices have been compromised by state-sponsored malware and spyware.
If Apple detects evidence of a state-sponsored attack, the targeted user will get a Threat Notification on the top of the page when signed into appleid.apple.com. Apple will also send an email and iMessage notification to the account associated with the user’s Apple ID.
Worried about storm damage? New phone alert will warn you of 'destructive' weather
Your smartphone has many uses to make life easier, whether it’s related to work, school or your social life. Whatever use you get out of it, remember that it can also keep you aware of dangerous situations and weather conditions, giving you time to prepare or get somewhere safe.
Airline data breach puts podcaster Payne Lindsey in danger
True-crime podcaster Payne Lindsey, creator of Up and Vanished, was all set to fly to Nome for his latest investigation but bailed at the last minute. He didn’t tell anyone, yet somehow rumors started swirling on social media that he was there. Payne joins us to break it down, plus we’re talking Verizon outages, a couple blocked from suing Uber, and leaked MrBeast “founder mode” documents.
🧬 Book ‘em, Danno: A 65-year-old Massachusetts suspect was arrested for a 1988 crime after police collected his spit from the sidewalk. They matched his saliva to DNA found under the victim’s fingernails, a bloody T-shirt and a cigarette left at the crime scene. The victim was a 25-year-old Boston woman with a toddler at home.
Ring privacy: Here's how many video requests police and fire departments made last year
Footage captured by video doorbells could help police departments solve criminal cases. That’s the reasoning behind Amazon’s Ring network, which helps law enforcement in almost every state. Ring is partnered with over 2,000 police and fire departments across the U.S.
This tempting work-from-home offer could land you in jail
It’s no exaggeration to say that COVID-19 has totally upended the global economy. According to labor statistics, 20.5 million U.S. jobs were lost in April alone. As of now, the unemployment rate sits at a staggering 14.7% — the worst since the Great Depression.
Big Tech listens to your convos
At least one media group gathers info from conversations and uses it for targeted ads. Plus, a new sextortion scam tactic, Amazon’s “Just Walk Out” tech hits more NFL stadiums, and police are towing Teslas from crime scenes.
👮 AI on patrol: Cops are using AI chatbots like Draft One to write crime reports, turning 45 minutes of work into an 8-second task. An Oklahoma officer says the first draft was 100% accurate when he tried. Cool, but let’s hope it’s just a starting place. If cops testify in court, they can’t say, “The AI wrote that, not me.”
Criminals using Wi-Fi jammers: Police caught an international crime ring staking out marks’ homes. Once the victims left, they used Wi-Fi jammers to disable the house’s Wi-Fi and security systems to rob them. A Chilean gang tried to do the same thing to me, and the Phoenix SWAT team even stormed my house! Worth the watch, promise.
Cop today, drone tomorrow: The NYPD has new crime-fighting drones thanks to 24-year-old Blake Resnick’s company, Brinc Drones (paywall), now worth over $300 million with backing from OpenAI’s Sam Altman. This is just the beginning of police drones coming out in full force. You heard it here first.
Clippy’s back …: … Kind of. Winpilot, a third-party tool that helps optimize your Windows OS, now includes a built-in assistant called — you guessed it — Clippy. Much like the original Office 97 assistant, it mostly assists with stuff you can do already in your Settings menu. But it can help you remove Windows 11’s built-in AI assistant, Copilot. Assistant-on-assistant crime: You hate to see it.
In Telfair County, Georgia, a fisherman stumbled upon critical evidence from the 2015 Craigslist murder of an elderly couple. He first pulled up a .22-caliber rifle, then discovered driver’s licenses and credit cards belonging to the victims. This find has revitalized the investigation, with more clues headed to the crime lab.
Bonus episode: The Kim Komando Show, April 13
A new tech ban is coming, this time it targets Russia. Trade your data for money? I tell you the real cost of cash-incentive offers (it’s not pretty). True crime lovers — here’s a side hustle you won’t want to miss. Plus, a gal wonders if her Roomba records her. Creepy!
Shocking crime: A 13-year-old Pennsylvania girl stabbed and killed her mother after her mom took away her cellphone. The girl also stabbed her 11-year-old brother, who survived. She’s being charged as an adult with criminal homicide and aggravated assault. How can something like this happen?
Easy money for true crime lovers
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An answer to rampant crime?
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TikTok under fire, Trump arrest deepfakes & ChatGPT work lies
Plus, I tell you all about the Google Bard release and why it’s dull on purpose. New ATM crime to watch out for, water bill money-saving tips and save your important texts. Tired of overly detailed recipe websites? I have a hack for you.
3 tech tips for a safe and happy New Year's Eve
Did you know that New Year’s Day is a popular night for crime? Listen to this one-minute podcast for three ways to protect yourself.
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Bad font choice exposes forged documents in bankruptcy case
Here’s a rule of thumb for crooks: If you plan to engage in any kind of fraudulent activity like forgery, it’s all about the details. Miss one, and the whole scheme can fall apart.
So if you’re going to try to falsify a document, for instance, it’s not just about making sure you dot the i’s and cross the t’s. Sure, you might have double-checked that, along with choosing the right logos, lingo or the proper formatting, too, but it’s still not enough.