Apple has released an important software update for iPhones after researchers discovered hackers were exploiting vulnerabilities to install spyware.
The vulnerabilities, named “zero-click” exploits by researchers, allowed hackers to access iPhones remotely without any user interaction. They were being used to install Pegasus spyware, which can secretly monitor a phone’s camera, microphone, messages and other sensitive data.
Citizen Lab Reports Issues to Apple
Researchers from Citizen Lab, an internet security watchdog group, found the flaws while inspecting the phone of an employee of a Washington D.C.-based civil society organization. They discovered the phone had been infected via the vulnerabilities without the employee’s knowledge.
Citizen Lab reported the issues to Apple, which promptly released an update last week patching the exploits. Apple thanked Citizen Lab for their assistance in identifying the problems.
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Exploits Linked to NSO Group
The spyware is linked to NSO Group, an Israeli cyber intelligence firm that has previously been accused of enabling surveillance of journalists and government officials. NSO Group has not commented on the new findings.
Citizen Lab named the exploit chain “BLASTPASS” and said it involved abusing an Apple developer tool called PassKit. They said the vulnerabilities could compromise even iPhones running the latest iOS version.
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Importance of Security Updates
The quick discovery and patching of these serious flaws highlights the importance of companies and researchers working together on security. Apple’s rapid response protected millions of customers from potential compromise.
All iPhone users are advised to install the latest iOS update immediately to protect against these exploits. Citizen Lab called the update an “early warning system” for billions of devices globally.
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