Apple has alerted new victims of spyware attacks this week, notifying individuals across multiple countries that they may have been targeted with government-developed malicious software. According to two alleged targets, Apple’s notifications advise recipients to take the warnings seriously and direct them to contact a nonprofit organization specialized in investigating such cyberattacks. Other tech giants, like Google and WhatsApp, have also periodically issued such alerts to their users in recent years. As of Wednesday, only two individuals have publicly disclosed receiving these alerts from Apple. One of them, Ciro Pellegrino, an Italian journalist working for the online news outlet Fanpage, received an email and text message on Tuesday. The notification informed Pellegrino that he was one of many targeted users, with Apple extending alerts to individuals in over 100 countries. “Today’s notification is being sent to affected users in 100 countries,” the message stated, emphasizing the widespread nature of the threat. Pellegrino affirmed the seriousness of the alert, writing, “Did this really happen? Yes, it is not a joke.” The second recipient, Eva Vlaardingerbroek, a Dutch right-wing activist, shared her notification on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday. The Apple alert read, “Apple detected a targeted mercenary spyware attack against your iPhone. This attack is likely targeting you specifically because of who you are or what you do. Although it’s never possible to achieve absolute certainty when detecting such attacks, Apple has high confidence in this warning—please take it seriously.” Vlaardingerbroek interpreted the notification as an attempt to intimidate and silence her. Both she and Pellegrino declined to comment further when contacted by TechCrunch. The exact spyware campaign behind these alerts remains unclear. However, Apple has a history of notifying users about potential spyware threats. Last year alone, the company issued warnings to users in dozens of countries, though the specific nature of the attacks was not always identified. Pellegrino is the second Italian journalist this year to receive such a notification. In February, WhatsApp alerted his colleague, Francesco Cancellato, that the company had disrupted activities of a spyware firm believed to have attacked his device. The spyware in Cancellato's case was attributed to Paragon Solutions, an Israeli company. Citizen Lab, a prominent digital rights organization, confirmed it was investigating these attacks on WhatsApp users. Following Cancellato’s public disclosure, two more Italians working for Mediterranea Saving Humans, an NGO focused on immigrant rescue operations, reported being targeted by Paragon. These revelations led to Paragon severing ties with its Italian government client. While the specifics of the current spyware campaign are still unknown, Apple’s proactive notifications underscore the ongoing threat of government-sponsored spyware, particularly against journalists, activists, and human rights defenders. The company's commitment to informing its users about such risks highlights the critical role tech firms play in protecting individuals from sophisticated cyber threats.